Pages

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Daylight Saving Time Danger?

12:30 pm ET March 10, 2012

New Study Shows One Hour of Sleep Lost Increases Risk of Heart Attack

Is daylight saving time hazardous to your health? A new University of Alabama study found that an abrupt change to your schedule can increase the risk of a heart attack by 10 percent. Fox News Medical A-Team’s Dr. David Samadi said the one hour lost as we spring ahead in the early hours Sunday morning can affect your immune system and inflammation, which can cause a heart attack.
He said the body has a biologic clock, called the circadian rhythm, and “by just changing it by one hour, every cell in your body is going to be completely out of sync.” So what can you do to make the transition not only easier when Monday morning comes around, but also lower your risk of a heart attack? Dr. Samadi recommends setting your clock forward Friday night to give your body time to adjust.
If you haven’t done so there are other things you can still do, including:
  • Wake up 30 minutes early to give yourself time to prepare
  • Eat a decent-sized breakfast
  • Get sunlight to energize your system, even if it’s fake light in your house
  • Do morning exercises over the weekend



11:11 am ET November 4, 2011

FAST FACTS: What Is Daylight Saving Time?


Daylight Saving Time ends this Sunday at 2a. Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour when you go to bed Saturday night. With the tradition looming, the Fox News Brain room put together a list of facts about Daylight Saving Time:

• Daylight Saving Time originally was designed to save energy because less artificial light would be needed in the evening during the summer.

• A 1996 study found traffic accidents increase 7 percent to 8 percent in the first days of Daylight Saving Time in April.


• The government’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System shows only a slight increase in accidents from March to April and shows deadly crashes peaking in summer.

• The Uniform Time Act of 1966 created a consistent calendar for Daylight Saving Time across the country.

• The Uniform Time Act of 1966 does not require any states to participate.

• Arizona chooses not to participate in Daylight Saving Time.

• The Navajo Indian Reservation, which spans across Arizona and two other states, does observe the time change.

• Because Hawaii and Guam are closer to the equator, they don’t experience the dramatic seasonal changes in daylight.

No comments:

Post a Comment