Time conversion can provoke sleep disorders

Time conversion can provoke sleep disorders

24.03.2011

Next Sunday, the clocks will be presented again for an hour. With the time change the summer time is heralded. What is a pleasure for some is agony for others. Many people suffer days and weeks after switching to sleep disorders.

Time change in the night to sunday
During the night from Saturday to Sunday, the clocks are presented again at 3:00 in the morning. Not a few people react to the time difference with health symptoms. Many ignore the influence of „internal clock“. But the biorhythm controls the sleep and wake modes and is responsible for the release of the sleep hormone melatonin. Most people get used to the new summer time after a few days. For other people, it sometimes takes a few weeks until the rhythm is restored.

Time change leads according to statistics to increased risks
In the long term, evidence based no health damage could be proved by the time change. However, statisticians of the Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkasse (DAK) have found that the risk of heart attack is increased by an average of 20 percent in the first three days after the time change. This resulted in an evaluation of patient data of the cash register. In addition to this increased cardiovascular risk, many people experience symptoms such as headaches, severe tiredness or sleep disorders. Many also suffer from difficulty concentrating, which, statistically proven, leads to an increased risk of accidents in the first few days after the changeover.

It is noticeable that, according to health insurances, the volume of doctor visits during the conversion phase is very high. Compared to other days, patients are about 12 percent more likely to see a doctor than usual. In particular, people who are already falling asleep suffer from a variety of problems during this time. This in turn results in a significant lack of sleep, which causes in some patients aggressiveness, irritability, abdominal pain, diarrhea and migraine complaints.

Time change upsets biorhythms
The described relationships indicate a health-endangering aspect of the time change. To date, the 1980 timing is not withdrawn, although the reasons were purely political and economic. Health insurance companies, physicians and non-medical practitioners have long been pointing to the health risks of the time change. The biorhythm is severely disturbed and many people experience the conversion as one „Mini jet lag“.

The non-medical practitioner Andre Tonak from Hamburg explains the relationships: „The time change, even if it is only 60 minutes, is a subtle but not to be underestimated stress factor for the body and psyche. For some of the population, this microstress causes a kind of jetlag feeling. Symptoms can include irritability, depression, infection susceptibility and sleep disorders. After about 10 to 14 days, humans usually get used to the new rhythm and the usual general condition returns.“

With simple means against sleep disorders
In order to survive the change of time well, especially relaxation exercises, such as the autogenic training, to leave the daily stress behind. In the evening should not be taken heavy food, otherwise disturbing flatulence could arise. Helpful for avoiding coffee, black tea and nicotine. Jogging and other physically strenuous sports should be avoided in the evening, as sport brings the circulation back into swing and makes it difficult to fall asleep. If these measures are not enough, therapies can also offer help for naturopathy. As effective measures have proven the water therapy after Kneipp and therapies herbal active ingredients. Valerian, for example, has proven to be clinically useful as a sleep aid. (Sb)

Also read:
Valerian & L-tryptophan: approaches to sleep disorder
Biorhythm suffers from time change
Time change promotes winter depression
Increased accident risk due to time change
Every third woman suffers from the time change
Bremer go to work exhausted

Picture: Gerd Altmann