Can Daylight Saving Time Affect Heart Health? Mayo Clinic Study Says Effect Is Minimal

There is a growing concern about the adverse health impacts linked to daylight saving time, and discussions continue regarding whether to eliminate the system or make it a permanent practice. However, a recent study conducted by the Mayo Clinic indicates that the influence of daylight saving time on heart health is minimal.

Daylight saving time (DST) aims to align social and work activities with daylight hours to conserve energy by reducing the dependence on artificial lighting.

In a nationwide study spanning most states that observe the system, researchers analyzed over 36 million adults. Using an advanced statistical model, they investigated potential connections between daylight saving time and the risk of serious cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks and strokes.

The study specifically focused on the weeks immediately following the spring and fall daylight saving time transitions, during which clocks are either set forward or backward by an hour.

“We looked at five years across the U.S., and what we found is that it’s unlikely that there is a clinically meaningful difference in cardiovascular health due to daylight saving time,” said Benjamin Satterfield, lead author of the study.

Throughout the study period, there were a total of 74,722 adverse cardiovascular events observed during both the spring and fall transitions.

An adverse cardiovascular event is defined as a hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of a heart attack, stroke, cardiogenic shock, or cardiac arrest.

“These cardiovascular events are common health conditions, so this led to the question of whether this is more than would be expected if this had not followed the daylight saving time transition,” Dr. Satterfield said.

The results indicated that on the Monday and Friday following the spring DST transition, there was a slight increase in the rates of cardiovascular events. However, when looking at all the data, it was not clinically significant.

The study’s findings suggest that there is no compelling reason to alter the daylight saving time system based on concerns related to heart health.

“When decisions are made about whether to abolish daylight saving time, there is no need to take concerns regarding heart health into account,” said Bernard J. Gersh, cardiologist and senior author of the study.