Psychologist calls for complete end to daylight saving

A leading chronobiologists has called for the total end to daylight saving time, claiming that adjusting clocks twice a year “doesn’t really make sense anymore”.
Associate Professor of Psychology at Monash University Sean Cain says the current way we switch between saving and non-daylight saving time can have negative health effects.

“Losing that hour is quite bad, but that’s not the only thing that’s bad. Being in daylight saving, the whole time you’re there is a little bit bad for you as well because everything’s out of synchrony with the light-dark cycle,” Cain told 3AW.

One of the nation’s leading chronobiologists has called for the total end to daylight saving time. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

“The transitions are annoying, absolutely, but if you go full daylight saving time all the time, at some times of year you’re going to be waking up way before the sun.

“You’re body’s screaming ‘go back to bed’. It’s not right, it’s very unhealthy.”

Cain said the reason daylight saving was first established decades ago – as a way to conserve energy – “doesn’t really make sense anymore”.

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“There have been studies looking at whether we get any energy savings out of this,” he said.

“And it’s not the case, it’s either no savings or maybe even slightly worse doing this.

Asked how unhealthy the switch is and whether daylight saving causes heart attacks, Cain said “cause might be a strong word but it does increase risks”.

“Losing that hour of sleep, turning your clocks forward and you have to get up an hour earlier, there is an increased risk of car accidents and heart attacks.”

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