Health problems due to time change

Time change to summer time can cause health problems

03/27/2014

Summertime starts next weekend. At 2 o'clock in the night from Saturday to Sunday the time is presented one hour. A study by the health insurance DAK health According to the time change leads to many Germans to health problems. So increase through the „stolen hour“ the heart attack risk. Less dramatic, but still unpleasant is the fatigue that affects many people in the first few weeks after the changeover. Cause are mostly sleep problems, because the „inner clock“ was disturbed.

Frequent heart problems after time change
„According to a recent long-term analysis of DAK health, 25 percent more patients with heart problems came to the hospital in the first three days after the time change than on an annual average - and have been continuously since 2006“, informs the health insurance.

„We have been watching this development for several years“, explains Peter Rowohlt, Hospital Expert at DAK. „The accumulation in more than half a decade is conspicuous and supports a Swedish study, which came to the same observation.“ Among other things, Rowohlt names lack of sleep and the change of biorhythms due to the time change as causes. So the hormone balance gets confused by the missing hour.

Especially sensitive people have to suffer from the time change. Most of the time the new day-night-rhythm settles after a few days. In rarer cases, the body needs several weeks to compensate for the missing hour. An earlier DAK survey found that at least one out of every four people who have switched to summer time experience health problems. Tiredness, fatigue, difficulty falling asleep and sleep disturbances can be part of the concomitants of the time change. Children can be as affected by the problems as adults. Studies confirm that small children are often unbalanced and whiny in the first few days. According to a study by Heidelberg University of Education, 12- to 18-year-olds need up to three weeks to adapt to summer time. Even with them, therefore, the typical complaints that can lead to a drop in performance at school.

What helps with health problems due to the time change?
The DAK advises people who are sensitive to the changeover to summer time to respond „a few days before the time change to go to bed earlier and take the meals earlier than usual“. In this way, the body slowly gets used to the new bedtime. In addition, with sleep problems „Dragees or herbal teas with valerian, hops, St. John's wort and lemon balm“ be applied. „Autogenic training also helps.“ However, sleep aids should only be taken in consultation with the doctor. „Eat as lightly as possible on the first days after the changeover and do not drink any stimulating drinks such as coffee or alcohol before going to bed“, advises the DAK. A short walk in the fresh air will help the one who „tiredness during the daytime“.

Critics argue for the abolition of the time change
Since 1980, time has been changed twice a year in Germany. At that time, summer and winter time were introduced in order to save energy, with the winter time corresponding to the normal time. Time and again, critics call for the abolition of summer time to return to normal time all year round. According to a DAK survey, 70 percent of Germans are in favor of abolishing summer time. The Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Ilse Aigner, also spoke out in favor of the return to normal time recently, as the time change would not have produced the desired energy-saving effects.

The scientists of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig are responsible for a smooth time changeover. Ekkehard Peik, head of the time laboratory stressed that there had been no problems since the introduction of summer time. The transmitter DCF77 in Mainflingen near Frankfurt am Main had already been programmed weeks ago by the physicists, so that all radio clocks changed to exactly the right time. The range of the transmitter is approximately 2,000 kilometers. If the time change were not to be correct, countless people would be affected, for example, in road and public local and long-distance traffic. So synchronize all of the about 120,000 clocks of Deutsche Bahn and many traffic lights via radio clocks. The radio and television stations are dependent on radio clocks. (Ag)

Image: Simone Hainz