CINCINNATI (March 5, 2023) – On Sunday, March 8, Americans will ‘spring forward’ as Daylight Saving Time begins across America. Many will struggle with how to manage the switch and disrupting their sleep patterns can impact their overall health.
Karthik Kanagarajan, MD, sleep specialist with The Christ Hospital Health Network, says the time change can contribute to interrupted sleep leading to cardiovascular illness including heart attack. Your heart and vascular system needs time to recover during sleep.
“The upcoming time change can create a misalignment in both your internal and social clock,” said Dr. Kanagarajan. “This can rearrange your physiology and can have direct impacts to your heart and brain, risking fatigue among other health concerns. It’s important to take steps to minimize the change impacting your body this weekend.”
To help reduce the risk of fatigue and other health issues from the time change, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends the following:
•Saturday night, adults should get at least seven hours of sleep; for teens, eight hours of sleep.
•Shift your bedtime 15-20 minutes earlier a couple of nights before.
•Dim your lights and minimize screen time an hour before bedtime.
•On the Sunday after the time change, your normal bedtime will be an hour earlier. Go to bed at this earlier time to reset your sleep schedule to achieve longer sleep.
•Head outdoors for early morning sunlight on Sunday. The light will help set your internal clock.
About The Christ Hospital Health Network
The Christ Hospital Health Network consists of an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn, a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers and dozens of medical offices throughout the region. For 136 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves. Made up of more than 1,300 physicians and more than 7,200 team members, our mission is to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional outcomes in an affordable way. The Network was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 hospital in the Cincinnati Region, named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list in 2026.