End of daylight saving time is good for the heart

[Celebration]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-clocks30-2008oct30,0,4510644.story

Turning your clock back one hour on Sunday for the end of daylight saving time could do your own ticker some good.

Researchers have found a 5% drop in heart attack deaths and hospitalizations the day after clocks are reset each year to standard time, according to a study to be published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Unfortunately, the Swedish researchers also found that the onset of daylight saving time in the spring appears to increase the risk of heart attacks.

Physicians can now add daylight saving time to the list of seemingly mundane events that have an effect on the heart, said Dr. Ralph Brindis, a vice president of the American College of Cardiology who practices in Oakland. The risk also rises on holidays and anniversaries, though no one knows why, he said.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. There's no longer any need for Daylight Savings Time

The crops don't need to be harvested the way they were a hundred years ago, or whenever it was that this idiotic idea became law. Just leave time the hell alone and let the sun do its thing. I think the data on heart attacks suggests that we shouldn't screw around with Mother Nature.

[trotsky]

2. A lot of us really like this "idiotic idea," thankyouverymuch.

Beautiful summertime evenings are an hour "longer" thanks to DST. I can take my son fishing after work and have plenty of time before the sun sets.

[salvorhardin]

3. Here in NE Indiana it's light to well after 10 at night in the summer

Being on the far edge of the Eastern time zone plus DST has its benefits. It does take some getting used to though.

[Delphinus]

15. That's where I am too,

but I truly find DST vile. I dislike saying hate, so let me say I loathe DST!

[salvorhardin]

16. Did you get the latest e-mail from Jill Long Thompson's campaign?

Heh. I can really understand why people loathe DST. But to make it a campaign issue?
http://neuralgourmet.com/2008/11/01/daylight-savings-campaign-issue

[Jamastiene]

4. I don't care one way or another about DST.

The Sun is going to do its thing no matter what superficial changes we make. I don't see why they don't just change working and school hours during those months and leave the time alone.

How many of us have old televisions and other appliances with clocks on them that we will have to manually change because Congress changed when the DST is supposed to take effect?

It's annoying, but I do enjoy the extra dark hours this time of year. I love nighttime. Mother nature would do that for me with or without the clocks changing though.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

5. I'm with you.

I love the dark, and studies have shown that all the artificial daylight to which people are subjected contributes to various maladies like cardiac problems, weight fluctuations, diabetes, behavioral disorders, and others.

Our kids shouldn't be starting school as early as they do, either. They need their sleep, and these old ways are just screaming for revamping.

[Jamastiene]

7. Exactly.

I get sick more often when I take college classes at our local community college. It doesn't matter if I actually attend in person or meet up online at the hours they want us to meet up (for the timed classes). I get sick when my sleep is affected. Driving while sleep deprived is just as dangerous on the roads as drunk driving in a lot of cases. Many of us walk around like zombies because our society hasn't figured out a way to let natural night owls just be night owls.

[altogetherooky]

9. When I was a kid, we didn't have to be at school until 9 am

Some of these poor kids get out really early, but they are in class at 8, which means they have to get up that much earlier! They are also driven to school, whereas we would walk, which wakes you up, too. I think this spike in illness probably can be attributed to a lack of melatonin, which is a hormone, if I am not mistaken. Melatonin production happens when it gets dark.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

10. You're right about melatonin,

and I agree with you about school times. Some of these kids are just plain tired.

And, don't forget, kids grow while they sleep. Waking them up that early just isn't right, and it surely isn't good for their health.

How did our school systems get so damn stupid?

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[trotsky]

12. Oh good grief.

Aren't you getting tired of this? I know we're tired of you. Buh-bye again.

[uppityperson]

14. Is this that recurring one who luvs to hang out in Health forum?

[Warpy]

6. I'd like to see it year round

because it's depressing to have it get dark so early in the winter.

I hated the change in the fall because it meant a 13 hour shift. I loved it in the spring because it meant an 11 hour shift.

[hvn_nbr_2]

8. I suspect that an extra hour of sleep is beneficial to hearts and bodies

in a sleep-deprived culture. I really think it's that simple.

[Tumbulu]

13. I lived in Arizona for many years and the hands down best aspect of life there

was that they did not participate in this silly time change nonsense. I actually leaned towards the libertarians for a while because of this. It is horribly disruptive changing times. When I had years to experience life without that disruption I finally got it. Just change work and school hours for summer and winter, but don't change the time. It is beyond idiotic.

It is horrible for the little kids and their parents.