A New Zealander is credited with first coming up with the idea for Daylight Saving.
It is just about time to “put your clock back for the winter”, with Daylight Saving Time ending on Sunday, although its controversy remains.
Daylight savings’ end signals the end of summer and long summer evenings. On the plus side, everyone will get an extra hour to sleep-in on Sunday morning and mornings will be lighter.
However, the one-hour change can wreak havoc on people’s circadian rhythms, creating a jet lag that can last days or even weeks - particularly in spring when an hour of sleep is lost, according to the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor.
Changing the clocks is associated with negative impacts beyond sleepiness, with a Finnish study finding a small but significant increase in the risk of being hospitalised for ischemic stroke in the first two days after a clock change in either direction, the office reports.
In Canada, which started its Daylight Saving Time in March for the Northern Hemisphere summer, the health risks from having to change the clocks twice a year prompted Irene Shone to start a petition calling for Daylight Saving Time to be done away with.
The petition has been supported by more than 85,000 people and is backed by the Canadian Sleep Society, which said daylight savings enforces later darkness during the summer, favouring delayed bedtime and more sleep loss, according to CTVNews.
In New Zealand, Daylight Saving Time has long been debated for both its benefits (including more light in the evenings) to its woes (from the jet lag adjusting and darker mornings).
In 1984, the Northland dairy farming community of Ararua, near Matakohe, decided to not observe daylight savings, rejecting the “spring forward” to reduce time spent milking in the dark in the mornings.
Daylight savings was last adjusted in 2007, with a three-week extension. A survey the following year found 82 per cent of Kiwis approved of the extension, although only 54 per cent of dairy farmers were in favour.
In 2021, the South Island tourist town of Te Anau declared it would stay in Daylight Saving Time year-round, although the move seemed to be more of an advertising campaign than a lobby for year-round daylight savings.
The Office for the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor argues that while there are negative impacts associated with shifting the clocks, it is far from settled whether permanent NZ Standard Time or permanent Daylight Saving Time would be better.
The best way to remember what to do daylight savings is the American saying “spring forward, fall back”, although some Kiwis prefer the lyrics in Shihad song Home Again: “Put your clock back for the winter”. Photo / 123rf
Sleep Well Clinic medical director Dr Alex Bartle said whatever happens with Daylight Saving Time in New Zealand, it will upset some people.
“Some people really like it [having daylight savings]. I don’t mind it - I like having a bit of extra light in the evenings,” he told the Northern Advocate.
But Daylight Savings Time can be particularly difficult for parents with young children because it means trying to put them to sleep at night when it is still light and trying to get them up in the morning when it is still dark, Bartle said.
“But if you can get your children down alright, you’ve got a bit more time to enjoy the evening sun.”
To help adjust to the change of the end of daylight savings, Bartle recommends Kiwis spend time outside in the light as soon as possible.
Going for a morning walk is the best thing to do, he said: “Spending time outside is always good for sleep”.
Sleep specialist Dr Alex Bartle says spending time outside in the light in the morning is the best way to adjust when daylight savings ends. Photo / Stephen Parker
But Bartle also said if New Zealanders want a good night’s sleep, they shouldn’t stress too much about the time change.
“It’s a little bit of an upset but it’s really pretty minor compared with a whole lot of things, including compared with jet lag experienced travelling from New Zealand.
“You wouldn’t get worried about having a heart attack by travelling to Sydney yet that’s a two- to three-hour [time difference], and Europe is even more,” he said.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
