The transition to winter time seems like good news for people who like to sleep more. However, turning the clocks back an hour doesn't always provide additional rest. On the contrary - for some people, the change can cause sleep disturbances that last for several days.
This is what Dr. Anthony Komaroff from Harvard Medical School warns about in a Harvard Health Publishing publication dedicated to the impact of seasonal time changes on the human body.
According to scientific studies, only a small percentage of people actually manage to take advantage of the extra hour in the fall. Instead of sleeping more, many people start waking up earlier, have difficulty falling asleep, or wake up more often during the night.
The reason lies in the internal biological clock that regulates the alternation of sleep and wakefulness. It is part of the body's circadian rhythms and is mainly influenced by natural light and darkness.
When the clocks are changed, the daily schedule suddenly changes, but the body does not always manage to adapt at the same speed.
A scientific review published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews shows that even a one-hour shift can affect the quality of sleep for a week.
People who usually sleep less than seven and a half hours, as well as those who are naturally early risers, have the hardest time adapting.
Studies have also looked at the possible health effects of changing the time of day. Some studies have found a slight increase in heart attacks after the spring transition to daylight saving time, when we lose an hour. The opposite trend has been observed with the autumn change, but the results of various studies are not unambiguous.
How to help the body adapt?
According to experts, the most important thing is to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and getting up at the same time makes it easier to set the biological clock.
Regular physical activity, preferably at similar times every day, can also help with adaptation. If necessary, a short afternoon nap can compensate for some of the sleep deprivation.
Usually the body adapts to the new regime within a few days to about a week.
In Bulgaria, the transition to winter time in 2026 will be on October 25, when at 4:00 am the clocks will be turned back to 3:00 am.
Although we formally get another hour, the actual benefit for sleep depends on how quickly our internal biological clock will synchronize with the new daily regime.
Source: Harvard Health Publishing, Dr. Anthony Komaroff.