AHA offers tips to ease effects of time change in heart-healthy ways
Losing an hour of sleep and “springing forward” for daylight saving time may negatively impact CV and brain health, according to a press release from the American Heart Association.
The AHA offered the following recommendations to ease the spring forward transition:
- Start now getting as much light as possible every day, which may help adjust body rhythm for the time change.
- Start winding down and going to sleep earlier in the evenings.
- Do not compensate daylight-savings tiredness with extra caffeine.
- Do not take a nap during the afternoon, as it may make sleep at night more difficult.
“These healthy lifestyle behaviors won’t only soften the annual biological clock shock, they are proven ways to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, helping you live a longer, healthier life,” Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, MD, ScM, FAHA, chair of the department of preventive medicine, the Eileen M. Foell Professor of Heart Research, professor of preventive medicine, medicine and pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and president of the AHA, said in the press release.
The AHA cited prior research presented at its Scientific Sessions in 2018 that reported elevated hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation during the daylight-saving time transition.
As Healio previously reported, researchers observed more AF admissions on the Monday through Thursday following the start of daylight-savings compared with the yearly mean of the same time period (3.13 vs. 2.56 admissions per day; P = .025). This increase was not observed in the autumn after daylight-saving time ended and hour of sleep was gained.
The AHA release referenced another study in which researchers observed that the transition to daylight saving time appeared to affect MI also.
As Healio previously reported, researchers observed a 25% increase in MI incidence on the Monday after the start of daylight saving time compared with other Mondays during the year.
The AHA release also cited a study from Finland in which researchers observed an 8% increase in ischemic stroke during in the 2 days following the start of daylight saving time.
“We don’t really know the specific reason for increases in heart disease and stroke during the daylight-saving time change, but it likely has something to do with the disruption to the body's internal clock, or its circadian rhythm,” Lloyd-Jones said in the release. “If you are already at risk for cardiovascular disease, the time change could be even more risky. It’s important to work on improving your health risk factors all year long, and there are some specific steps you can take to prepare for the impact of ‘springing forward’ each spring.”
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