It can be a headache to remember to set the clocks back for Daylight Saving Time - but the annual time change can also be the cause of literal headaches.
Experts say the change in sleep patterns can trigger "cluster headaches," especially for people who are already prone to migraines.
"Cluster headache attacks can occur every day for six to eight weeks and then go away in a cluster cycle. The theory is that you can actually trigger a cycle by switching the time with Daylight Saving Time," Dr. Rajkumar Dasgupta, associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, told CNN.
Any change to our circadian rhythm can trigger cluster headaches, even changing time zones.
"The connection between the time change and cluster headaches is that the portion of the brain that is also the generator for cluster headaches is also the portion of the brain that manages our circadian rhythms, which is located in the hypothalamus," Dasgupta told CNN.
While you can't avoid the time change, there are some strategies for making the effects less impactful. Dasgupta suggests slowly adjusting your schedule in the days before we fall back, try to get outside and soak up as much daylight as possible. And if you're prone to headaches or migraines -- have your medication ready.
Daylight Saving Time officially ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 5, when we'll "fall back" one hour.
In 2024, Daylight Saving Time will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, when we'll "spring forward" one hour, and will end on Sunday, November 3.
Why do we observe Daylight Saving Time in the first place? The practice was instituted in the U.S. during World War I in order to save energy for war production by taking advantage of the later hours of daylight between April and October, according to the Department of Energy. The passage of the Energy Policy Act in 2005 extended Daylight Saving Time by four weeks – from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November.
Lawmakers across the country have asserted over the years that Daylight Saving Time and the accompanying time changes are outdated and unnecessary. Since 2015, at least 450 bills and resolutions to end the practice have been introduced in virtually every state, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Nineteen states have enacted legislation or passed regulations for permanent Daylight Saving Time. Only two states, Hawaii and Arizona, observe permanent standard time.
This year, at least 29 states considered or are still considering legislation related to Daylight Saving Time, per NCSL: Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming.
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