PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Daylight Saving Time is this weekend, and while many prefer the late sunsets of summer, a sleep expert says Standard Time is easier on the body.
Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, director of the Sleep Health Fellowship at University of Pennsylvania, says we operate most efficiently when our social and internal clocks align with the solar clock.
“The alignment that works best with human biology is when the sun is at its highest point at noon, which happens under Standard Time, which is what we'll be transitioning into,” she said.
Gurubhagavatula says people sometimes associate fond memories of summer with Daylight Saving Time, leading them to prefer it to Standard Time.
“In general, people's internal biological rhythms will be better aligned in those winter months than they are in the summer months when Daylight Saving forces us to wake up an hour earlier to get the evening light."
She says circadian alignment can help your immune system, which is crucial during the colder months.
“With the immune system being better, you're better able to fight colds and infections and also keep cancer away,” Gurubhagavatula said. “So people who are chronically sleep deprived, who work these unhealthy shifts, are at higher risk for cancer."
Remember to turn your clocks back an hour on Sunday, Nov. 3.