2023-11-10 09:00:56
This weekend was the last of the month of October, and like every year at this time, we switched to winter time. Many people will be happy to have “earned” an extra hour of sleep. However, studies suggest that the time change would have an impact on our biological clock and therefore on our state of health. What exactly is it? We take stock.
The biological clock: what is it?
Housed in the brain of each individual, the biological clock (or internal clock) plays an essential role in the proper functioning of the body. Synchronized mainly by means of light, it imposes a 24-hour cycle on the body, called circadian rhythm. Among other functions, it adjusts body temperature depending on the time of day and allows better memory consolidation at night.
To know ! The circadian rhythm refers to a 24-hour cycle during which a number of biological and physiological mechanisms repeat within the body. It is the biological clock that imposes the circadian rhythm on the body.
However, it happens that the cadence of the circadian rhythm is blocked. Gold, a simple deregulation can cause the appearance of various pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, immunological disorders and even certain cancers.
Changing the time: a not so trivial gesture for our biological clock
In the case of the time change, scientific data supports that moving the needle forward or backward would have an impact on the internal biological clock and therefore on the state of health. There are many problems that might result from this: sleep problems, alertness problems, road accidents, depression and even myocardial infarction and strokes!
Like a time difference that one would encounter during a trip, the change to winter time or summer time will thus have different effects depending on the profile :
- For people who tend to be more efficient in the morning (morning chronotypes): an adaptation of the body may take a few days.
- For people who tend to be more efficient in the evening (late chronotypes): an adaptation of the body that can last several months.
To know ! Some people are more vulnerable to the negative effects of the time change, such as young children, the elderly, night workers, etc.
Therefore, would the transition to winter time and summer time have the same impact on our body? According to some experts, it would be more difficult for the body to cope with the change to summer time. The first reason, which is easily understood, is losing an hour of sleep time. The second reason is more complex. The body already records on average a delay of 10 minutes on its 24-hour cycle (and 30 minutes for the latest chronotypes). However, moving the time forward implies moving the biological clock forward by one hour and therefore forcing the body to advance its rhythm further. The efforts that the organization will have to make will therefore have to be more substantial, without taking into account the effects of the general lack of sleep among the French.
To know ! The French people’s lack of sleep is estimated at 30 to 90 minutes of sleep per day on average.
Towards the elimination of the time change?
In March 2019, the European Union voted to abolish the seasonal time change. This vote was to be implemented in 2021. But, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the cessation of the seasonal time change was subsequently postponed. Although the text relating to the end of the time change is currently no longer on the agenda, a question remains: would it be better to keep winter time or summer time?
With days punctuated by winter time, the sun would set on average 4 hours later in summer than in winter, which would allow you to fall asleep earlier and have a prolonged and beneficial sleep for your health. . On the other hand, if the choice fell on summer time, this would have significant consequences on waking up in winter and going to bed in summer. In the middle of December, for example, sunrise would be very late (at 9:41 a.m. on December 21). However, exposure to daylight plays an important role in synchronizing the biological clock. In winter, the body would thus be deprived of this essential light to properly start a new day. This is why most scientists favor maintaining standard time.
While waiting for the European Council to decide on the issue, we will have to live to the rhythm of seasonal time changes and continue to set our watches, clocks and alarm clocks to the correct time!
Déborah L., Doctor in Pharmacy
Sources
– Time change: can we expect a disruption in our biological clock? presse.inserm.fr. Accessed October 28, 2023.
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