Begin Now to Protect Your Heart as Clocks ‘Spring Forward’

The lost hour of sleep when clocks spring forward for daylight saving time on Sunday, March 13 can pose risks to your heart — but there are ways to protect yourself.

A number of studies have found an increase in heart problems and stroke after the springtime change, according to the American Heart Association.

How the time change can affect your heart

One study from New York found that hospital admissions for the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (a-fib) rise Monday to Thursday after the springtime switch, but it doesn’t occur when daylight saving time ends in the fall.

A Michigan study found a 24% increase in heart attacks on the Monday after the spring switch, compared with a 21% reduction in heart attacks on the Tuesday after the fall time change.

And Finnish researchers reported an 8% rise in ischemic stroke (blocked blood flow in the brain) during the first two days after the spring switch.

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“We don’t really know the specific reason for increases in heart disease and stroke during the daylight saving time change, but it likely has something to do with the disruption to the body’s internal clock, or its circadian rhythm,” says Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, president of the American Heart Association (AHA).

“If you are already at risk for cardiovascular disease, the time change could be even more risky,” Lloyd-Jones warned in an AHA news release. “It’s important to work on improving your health risk factors all year long, and there are some specific steps you can take to prepare for the impact of ‘springing forward’ each spring.”

RELATED: Five Key Ways To Spring Into A Healthy Lifestyle

How to protect yourself

Here’s his advice:

• Prepare now by getting as much light as possible each day to help your body rhythm adjust to the upcoming time change.
• Don’t consume extra caffeine to help combat daytime tiredness. Too much caffeine is bad for your heart.
• Don’t nap. Doing so can make it harder to sleep at night.

The best way to prepare for the time change is to make gradual lifestyle improvements year-round, Lloyd-Jones shares. Boost your physical activity. Have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked. Adopt good sleep habits and eat smart.

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“These healthy lifestyle behaviors won’t only soften the annual biological clock shock, they are proven ways to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, helping you live a longer, healthier life,” Lloyd-Jones concludes.

In addition, insufficient sleep can cause problems outside of heart problems.

“This sleep disruption can impair your productivity, alertness and mood, and it may increase your risk of driving drowsy, especially if you don’t get plenty of sleep during the week leading up to the time change,” according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) President Dr. Douglas Kirsch.

The AASM recommends the following tips for the week leading up to March 13:

• Get at least seven hours of sleep (for adults) or eight hours of sleep (for teens) per night before and after the time change. You can use the AASM’s bedtime calculator to identify an appropriate nightly bedtime.
• Gradually adjust your sleep and wake times beginning two to three nights before the time change. Shift your bedtime 15 or 20 minutes earlier each night.
• For a few days before the time change, begin to adjust the timing of other daily routines that are “time cues” for your body. For example, start eating dinner a little earlier each night.
• On Saturday night, set your clocks ahead one hour in the early evening. Then go to sleep at your normal bedtime.
• Head outdoors for some early morning sunlight on Sunday. The bright light will help set your internal clock, which regulates sleep and alertness.
• Go to bed early enough on Sunday night to get plenty of sleep before the week begins on Monday.