How to Survive Daylight Saving Time - The Wirecutter Show

Summary

The Wirecutter Show: How to Survive Daylight Saving Time Release Date: March 4, 2025

Introduction In this special bonus episode of The Wirecutter Show, hosted by Rosie Guerin and co-hosted by Kyra Blackwell, the team delves into the annual challenge of adjusting to Daylight Saving Time (DST). With the upcoming shift on March 9th, the hosts explore the implications of "springing forward" and provide expert advice on mitigating the negative effects associated with this time change.

Understanding Daylight Saving Time Rosie introduces the topic by highlighting that DST begins on March 9th, lasting until November, during which clocks are set forward by one hour. While often perceived as minor inconveniences, DST has more profound impacts on our health and daily routines.

Kyra’s Insights on Circadian Rhythms Kyra explains the biological disruptions caused by the one-hour shift:

"Studies have shown that even something as slight as a one-hour time shift can disrupt our circadian rhythms, which is basically just our body's internal 24-hour clock that follows the sun." [02:48]

This misalignment between the social clock and the body’s internal clock can result in jet lag-like symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep or waking up, and an increase in health risks such as car accidents, heart attacks, and strokes during the transition period.

The Origins and Criticism of DST The conversation shifts to the rationale behind DST. Contrary to popular belief, Kyra debunks the myth that farmers benefit from DST:

"Farmers actually notoriously hate daylight saving because it's completely opposed to their schedules, which follows the sun..." [04:10]

Instead, DST primarily benefits large corporations, including gas companies and retail sectors, by extending evening daylight and encouraging consumer spending. This shift results in approximately eight months of DST compared to 4.5 months of Standard Time, despite evidence suggesting that Standard Time is more aligned with human health and safety.

Health Implications of DST Kyra emphasizes that Standard Time is the optimal choice for health and safety:

"A 2024 study found that standard time, which is what we're leaving right now to enter Daylight saving time, is the optimal choice for health and for safety following the sun’s clock." [04:56]

The extended period in DST exacerbates the negative health impacts, making it more than just a minor inconvenience for many individuals.

Strategies to Adjust to DST Kyra offers practical advice to help listeners adapt to the time shift smoothly:

Gradual Sleep Schedule Adjustment Begin shifting your bedtime earlier in small increments:

"Start shifting in 15-minute increments starting on Wednesday, so your body is ready to sleep by 9pm that Saturday before the time switch happens." [05:22]
Maintain Consistent Eating Schedules Align meal times with the new sleep schedule to prevent digestion from interfering with sleep:

"If you're going to be going to sleep earlier, that means you need to eat a little bit earlier." [05:22]
Limit Stimulants Before Bed Avoid caffeine and alcohol at least six hours before bedtime to promote better sleep quality:

"Don't do things like drink caffeine or alcohol before going to bed, especially caffeine." [05:22]
Optimize Bedroom Temperature Maintain a cool environment to signal your body that it's time to sleep:

"The optimal sleep temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit." [06:45]
Regulate Light Exposure
- Evening: Reduce exposure to bright lights to encourage melatonin production.
- Morning: Increase sunlight exposure to reset the body’s internal clock.
"Kill as much light as possible in the early evenings... get as much sunlight as possible as soon as possible in the morning." [06:54]

Solutions include using blackout curtains or eye masks in the evening and utilizing sunrise alarm clocks to simulate natural light in the morning:

"Use a sunrise alarm clock to basically simulate warm sunlight in your room when you're waking up in the morning." [08:58]
Enhance Morning Activity Engage in physical activities like running or yoga to boost alertness and signal the start of the day:

"Do something active, that is the best thing you can do for your body during this time." [09:34]

Conclusion Kyra encapsulates the essence of adjusting to DST with a simple yet effective mantra:

"Light, light, light. Block it at night, get it in the morning." [10:20]

The episode wraps up with Rosie thanking Kyra for her insightful tips and hinting at future topics, such as vacuums. Listeners are encouraged to visit the Wirecutter website for more detailed product recommendations and coverage related to DST.

Notable Quotes

Kyra Blackwell [02:48]:

"Studies have shown that even something as slight as a one-hour time shift can disrupt our circadian rhythms, which is basically just our body's internal 24-hour clock that follows the sun."
Kyra Blackwell [04:10]:

"Farmers actually notoriously hate daylight saving because it's completely opposed to their schedules, which follows the sun..."
Kyra Blackwell [04:56]:

"A 2024 study found that standard time, which is what we're leaving right now to enter Daylight saving time, is the optimal choice for health and for safety following the sun’s clock."
Kyra Blackwell [05:22]:

"Start shifting in 15-minute increments starting on Wednesday, so your body is ready to sleep by 9pm that Saturday before the time switch happens."
Kyra Blackwell [06:45]:

"The optimal sleep temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit."
Kyra Blackwell [10:20]:

"Light, light, light. Block it at night, get it in the morning."

Further Resources For more information on Daylight Saving Time and the products recommended by Kyra, visit nytimes.com/wirecutter or check the show notes for direct links.

Production Credits The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel, with engineering support from Matty Mazziello and Nick Pittman. Original music is by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Alicia Ba Itup, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter's Deputy Publisher and General Manager is Cliff Levy, and Ben Fruman serves as Editor-in-Chief.

Transcript

Rosie Guerin (0:04)

Hey, it's Rosie from the Wirecutter Show. And this is a special bonus episode called how to Survive Daylight Saving Time. This coming Sunday, March 9, marks the start of Daylight Saving Time, or DST, the time of year we spring ahead and advance our clocks forward one hour. We spend the majority of our year in DST and will be in DST all the way to November when we revert back to Standard Time. For most people, these biannual time changes are simply part of life minor inconveniences. But there's a bit more to it than that. Scientists and researchers have studied the effects of time change into DST and found it can negatively impact our health. Kyra, the co host of our show, has reported on sleep, hygiene and in particular the things you can do to prepare your body for the time shift and some tips on how best to adjust. I'm going to talk with her all about it after a quick break. We'll be right back.

Somini Sengupta (1:18)

This is Somini Sengupta. I'm a reporter for the New York Times. I've covered nine conflicts, written about earthquakes, terror attacks, droughts, floods, many humanitarian crises. My job is to bear witness. Right now I'm writing about climate change and I'm trying to answer some really big and urgent questions about life on a hotter planet, like who is most vulnerable to climate change? Should we redesign our cities? Should we be eating differently? What happens to the millions of people who live by the coast as the oceans rise? To make sense of this, I talk to climate scientists, inventors, activists. Mostly I document the impact of global warming and that impact is highly, highly unequal. My colleagues and I are doing our best to answer complicated questions like these, but we can't do that without our subscribers. If you'd like to subscribe, go to nytimes.com subscribe and thank you.

Rosie Guerin (2:24)

Hello, Kyra.

Kyra (2:25)

Hi, Kyra.

Rosie Guerin (2:26)

I understand we're about to head into your least favorite part of the year.

Kyra (2:31)

Yeah, I really don't like this part of the year, which is when we start Daylight Saving Time and, and it starts on March 9th at 2am local time this year.

Rosie Guerin (2:40)

So the saying is spring forward, fall back. That means we're going to be losing an hour of sleep right when daylight saving starts.

Kyra (2:48)

Right, Right. But it's actually worse than that. Some people kind of look forward to this time because the evenings are brighter and that's kind of fun in the summer especially. But it does come at a cost. Studies have shown that even something as slight as a one hour time shift can disrupt our circadian rhythms, which is basically just our body's internal 24 hour clock that follows the sun. This can lead to jet lag type symptoms, and that's just because your body clock isn't aligning with the social clock. So basically your phone will say that it's 3pm, but our bodies know it's actually 2pm and this mismatch can lead to a number of health issues. You might feel it when you have a hard time falling asleep or a hard time waking up in the morning, but after the spring shift, specifically, according to the National Institutes of Health, car accidents, heart attacks and certain kinds of strokes spike during this time.