Laura Habashi

Is ‘springing forward’ harming our health?

28 March 2025

Research suggests that daylight saving time has negative effects on our health – so why is it still observed in many countries, and what can we do about it?

Daylight saving time – the ‘spring forward’ – is the practice of uniformly advancing the clocks one hour to extend daylight hours in the summer months. Germany was the first country to adopt the practice nationwide, in a bid to save energy costs during the First World War, and many European countries soon followed suit.

At the peak of daylight saving’s popularity, half of the world’s countries observed it. Now, only a third – around 70 countries, mostly in Europe and North America – use some form of daylight saving. Most countries have opted out entirely, including Asia and most of Africa.

What is the point of daylight saving?

Many people find the practice outdated and disruptive, but opponents of one permanent time zone argue that this could create social disadvantages. For example, if we were to observe permanent standard time in northern Europe (e.g. GMT/CET), this would mean darker summer evenings – meaning less time to enjoy outdoor summer activities. However, in contrast, having permanent daylight saving time would mean darker mornings – in areas of north-west Scotland, this would mean that the sun would not rise until 10am in winter. In the US, permanent daylight saving time would mean 87% of the urban population would not see sunrise until after 8am in winter, compared with just 3% in the current system – leading to many more people commuting to work or school in the dark.

In the US, permanent daylight saving time would mean 87% of the urban population would not see sunrise until after 8am in winter.

However, there are some benefits to daylight saving. Increasingly light evenings have been linked to fewer robberies – research from 2015 found a 7% reduction following the springtime shift. Some studies have also suggested that lighter evenings may reduce energy costs, and could encourage more outdoor activity for children.

In Europe, most countries still observe daylight saving, but there have been recent discussions about whether to abandon the practice. In 2018, there was a public consultation in the European Union (EU), during which an overwhelming majority (84%) stated that they would like to see an end to the time shift. Members of European Parliament backed a proposal to support an end to adjusting the clocks in 2019, but implementation appears to have stalled, with the EU Council yet to make a final decision.

What does losing an hour of sleep do to us?

Although switching to daylight saving time only results in one lost hour during one weekend each year, studies suggest that this can have catastrophic consequences for our health, with the ‘spring forward’ being more disruptive than the ‘fall back’. It is estimated that, globally, the time shift causes 880,000 negative health effects each year.

Research has shown that it may lead to an increase in heart attacks and strokes. A study in Michigan found that the Monday after the implementation of daylight saving, there was a staggering 24% increase in the number of heart attacks. In Finland, a 2016 study found that hospitalisations due to stroke increased by 8% two days after the clocks went forward.

It is estimated that, globally, the time shift causes 880,000 negative health effects each year.

Beyond cardiovascular events, daylight saving has also been found to increase traffic deaths. A study analysing data from Spanish cities found that the risk of having a fatal road accident increased by an alarming 30% the day the clocks change in spring. The lost hour of sleep was also found to contribute to a spike in both the number and the severity of workplace injuries in the US.

Shockingly, daylight saving has even been linked to an increase in suicides. Directly after the spring time change, research from the US suggests that suicide rates and the combined death rate from suicides and substance abuse increase by more than 6%.

The reasons for these negative impacts on health are not clear, but it has been suggested that they could be a result of disruptions to the body’s sleep/wake cycle – the circadian rhythm.

How can we reduce the risk of adverse health effects from daylight saving?

In the absence of political backing to abolish daylight saving, there are some small measures that individuals can take to reduce the impact it has on our health. These include:

going to bed 10–15 minutes earlier every night during the week leading up to the date the clocks go forward
increasing exposure to daylight in the mornings during the first week of daylight saving time
reducing reliance on caffeine to limit disruption to sleep.

These measures could help reduce the shock of the time shift on the body’s sleep/wake cycle.

Whether you appreciate having a longer, lighter evening or resent the lack of sleep, the mounting evidence of the impact of daylight saving on our health is staggering. The many consequences for our health highlight the need for a re-evaluation of the ‘spring forward’ and its continued use in modern society.

Is ‘springing forward’ harming our health?

Research suggests that daylight saving time has negative effects on our health – so why is it still observed in many countries, and what can we do about it?

What is the point of daylight saving?

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The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Health Policy Partnership.