Daylight Saving Time Is Bad For The Health Of People In Illinois

This Sunday is going to be a dreadful day. It's that time of year when we "spring forward" and begin Daylight Saving Time. Illinois, Iowa, and residents of every other state except for Hawaii and Arizona will lose an entire hour of sleep.

READ MORE: Illinois Is The Worst State For Poor People

The good news is that we'll see the sun stay up later and even longer days are on the horizon. But losing an hour of sleep is bad for our health. It can be so bad that lawmakers in several states have called to get rid of changing the clocks altogether.

 Daylight Saving Time Is Bad For Us

Do you feel tired and out of rhythm when we start Daylight Saving time? Don't worry, you're not alone.

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The Sleep Foundation says that people and other mammals are guided by circadian rhythms which are 24-hour cycles that regulate sleep and other key bodily functions such as appetite and mood. Because circadian rhythms are largely dependent on light exposure, to reset each day, they must be synchronized with natural light-darkness cycles in order to ensure healthy and high-quality sleep.

When we go from Standard Time to DST, we have darker mornings and more evening light which can “delay” your sleep-wake cycle, making you feel tired in the morning and alert in the evening. The Sleep Foundation says that circadian misalignment can contribute to sleep loss, as well as “sleep debt,” which refers to the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.

When does Daylight Saving Time start and end?

DST starts this Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at 3 a.m. Make sure you adjust your microwave, stove, and possibly car clocks.

We will "fall back" one hour this fall on Sunday, November 3, 2024.

Let's get rid of it all together. Lawmakers definitely tried in Illinois last year.