Daylight savings can negatively impact your circadian rhythm, experts say

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- At 2:00 A.M. Sunday morning, our clocks will be set one hour forward to start daylight savings.

Many enjoy the end of daylight savings in November when clocks are set back an hour, leading to an extra hour of sleep, but many despise the start in March when we lose that extra hour of sleep.

According to experts, losing that hour of sleep isn't just an inconvenience - it can also be damaging to our physical and mental health.

Sarah Martin, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Texas Tech University Health and Sciences Center of El Paso, says our circadian rhythms can take a hit by losing that hour of sleep, which are strongly influenced by the amount of sunlight and darkness our bodies receive.

“It just doesn’t go along with human biology," says Martin.

She says circadian rhythms can be adjusted gradually in small increments, but the sudden loss of an hour can have negative implications on your health.

“There’s higher rates of heart attacks, there are higher instances of accidents, and those could be head injuries, car crashes," adds Martin.

People who suffer from anxiety and mood disorders can also see an increase in their negative symptoms.

In addition, Martin says new studies have shown those with compromised immune systems can even become sicker.

“Like, it’s not just what people say, ‘oh my gosh, I can’t wake up this early,’ it’s so much more than that," says Martin.

She says this shows just how important sleep is for healthy human function.

However, if one plans enough in advance, it is possible to lessen the blow when that clock jumps an hour forward.

“Changing your sleeping cycle very slightly over a few weeks would be much more effective, but it’s really hard," says Martin.

In the meantime, Martin says getting good exposure to sunlight can improve your mental health, and even your sleep patterns.