Daylight savings time is rapidly approaching. This weekend you’ll be able to “fall back” one hour – winter and frigid temps- here we come! An hour may not seem like that big of deal but studies show some of the benefits of “falling back” and the positive side effects you may undergo. Here they are some of the benefits:
The odds of you getting into a car accident in the near future drop –This is the opposite effect when your clock moves an hour forward in the spring and your chances of getting into an accident actually increase. Gaining that extra hour sleep improves your cognitive abilities and alertness allowing you to react quicker and get out of the way of an impending accident.
Heart Healthy- Studies show that gaining an hour of sleep is great for your heart. There is a drop in heart attacks shortly after people gain an extra hour of sleep due to daylight saving time. An increase of sleep, decreases the onset of stress hormones, which is favorable with people with a history of heart disease.
Productivity- The increased alertness and rest from daylight saving time change leads to a increase in productivity at the work place. This has been measured by the amount of time a worker spends on their computers browsing the web on non-work related subjects . Studies show that there is noticeable drop-off in the time an employee spends on non-work web browsing the Monday following the time change, thus increasing productivity.
Adding a spring to your step – in the fall – You may find yourself a little happier after gaining the extra hour of sleep. Being well-rested increases serotonin (the brain’s happy chemical) levels which induces clearer thinking and a more elevated mood.