Why Daylight Saving Time Is TERRIBLE for Those with ADHD
On March 12, the United States once again sprang forward into what is known as “Daylight Saving Time.” This is bad news. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is bad for everyone’s health, but it is especially bad for those with ADHD. In this blog post, I will explain why and what we can do to fight back against this foolish practice.
The Problem with DST
DST is a false façade. It does nothing to change what time it actually is. For centuries, the time was determined by the sun. However, early in the 20th century, people began fiddling with the clocks. Why? We’re not really sure. Some people claim it was for the farmers, but farmers do not benefit from the clock change. There is also speculation that it will save on energy usage which is also not true. DST actually causes energy usage to go up. It does not save us energy, and therefore, it causes energy costs and pollution to increase.
Moreover, health is jeopardized by DST. Heart attacks increase the day after DST takes effect. Sleep is also affected by DST. The chronic sleep deprivation that DST causes increases the risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, obesity, metabolic disorders, personality disorders, unintentional midday sleep, caffeine abuse, alcohol abuse, depression, and suicidality. Is justifiable to allow DST to wreak havoc on our health? Our bodies are finely-tuned. DST messes with our circadian rhythms, and disaster ensues.
Furthermore, if permanent DST is enacted, almost everyone will begin their day in the dark in the winter. Some places won’t see a sunrise until 9:00am. This is dangerous. We will have kids waiting at the bus stop in the pitch black of night. This is dangerous. Kids will be harder to see. Drivers who have not had sunlight to wake them up will have to try extra hard to see those kids standing by the side of the road.
The United States tried permanent DST in 1974, and it failed miserably. People hated it. Fear of walking to work or school in the dark was common. Kids had to carry flashlights with them to the bus stop so they could see and be seen.
In short, DST has been tried and failed. Science says it is a bad idea for our health, and people hate it. The only reason it is being suggested to be permanent in the United States is the golf, tourism, and retail industries want it. Should we sacrifice our health for the whims of few industries? To learn more about the ills of DST, visit this website that advocates permanent Standard Time.
How This Affects ADHD
The main way DST attacks ADHD is through sleep. As mentioned above, we lose sleep by going on DST. Our bodies need sunlight in the morning and dark in the evenings in order to properly regulate our sleep. DST wrecks this fragile balance we have with the sun and our sleep. It drives us to misalignment. Our sleep will be off, and sleep is crazy important for our health. Moreover, the consequences of sleep deprivation are dire. Essentially, the lack of sleep caused by DST makes the symptoms of ADHD worse. (More details in the linked posts.)
Let’s take a look at an example of how ADHD and DST can come together in scary, dangerous ways. Picture, if you will, a bus stop. At this bus stop, you have students waiting for the bus in the dark. Some of those kids have ADHD which makes concentrating and holding still a challenge. As I am sure you have imagined already, some of the kids are fidgeting and moving about, not paying much attention to what they’re doing or where they are. Meanwhile, cars are passing by. Some of these cars are driven by people with ADHD. ADHD makes things hard behind the wheel. Throw in sleep deprivation, and both the kids at the bus stop and the drivers are not on the top of their game. One lapse of concentration is all it could take for disaster to strike. Think about other situations where ADHD and DST can come to together and make things dangerous or difficult.
What Can We Do?
Right now, there is a bill in the United States Congress that would make DST permanent. Contact your representatives and tell them you want permanent Standard Time. Call them. Write them. Tweet with the hashtag #SaveStandardTime. I wrote my US House representative while writing this blog. Do the same. Do not be silent. We do not have to be silent; we can be a part of change for the better.