Mass. doctor on health impacts of seasonal time changes

NEWSCENTER 5 AT 5:30. ERIKA: 5 ON YOUR HEALTH TONIGHT, OUR CLOCKS SPRING FORWARD THIS WEEKEND DESPITE WARNINGS FROM SOME EXPERTS ABOUT THE MEDICAL RISKS. HERE TO EXPLAIN IS DR. ALI RAJA, DEPUTY CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> YOU TOO. BEN: AS YOU KNOW, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF SLEEP MEDICINE SAYS THESE SEASONAL TIME CHANGES CAN HAVE, QUOTE, DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES. WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST SERIOUS? >> THERE IS A NUMBER OF THEM. DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WILL REMAIN DARK LATER IN THE MORNING FOR A WHILE NOW. THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT THERE IS MORE CAR ACCIDENTS AFTER THE TIME CHANGE, MORE HEART ATTACKS, STROKES, AND MEDICAL ERRORS. THAT’S WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF SEASONAL TIME CHANGES ALTOGETHER. ERIKA: YOU RUN ONE OF THE BUSIEST EMERGENCY ROOMS IN NEW ENGLAND. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU’VE SEEN BEFORE, AN UPTICK IN PROBLEMS IN THE ER? >> IS A GOOD QUESTION. I HAVEN’T PERCEIVED IT MYSELF. AND WE HAVE A GOOD TEAM TO ABSORB ANY INCREASE IN VOLUME THAT COMES UP. AND THE HOUR — SATURN EIGHT — SATURDAY NIGHT HOUR IS SHORTER. IT ALL EVENS OUT. >> FOR THOSE OF US DOING A NEWS SHIFT WE DON’T LIKE THE SPRING FORWARD BECAUSE YOU LOSE AN HOUR OF SPEED. YOU ARE ALSO A DAD, WE ARE PARENTS AS WELL. I LOVE THE SPRING FORWARD. WE LOSE AN HOUR AND GET THE EXTRA DAYLIGHT. BUT THE CHALLENGE COMES MONDAY MORNING WHEN YOU HAVE TO DRAG THE KIDS OUT OF BED. ESSENTIALLY AN HOUR EARLIER THAN THEIR USE TO. >> YOU ARE TOTALLY RIGHT, IT IS A BIG DEAL FOR KIDS AROUND OUR AGE, IT’S A BIT RUTH PROBLEM FOR TEENAGERS. WHAT THEY FOUND, OVER THE NEXT WEEK, THE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOLLOWING THE TIME CHANGE, THEY LOSE 30 MINUTES OF SLEEP PER NIGHT. IT IS A PROBLEM WITH DRIVING, SPORTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. PARENTS OF ALL KIDS BUT ESPECIALLY TEENAGERS, NEED TO TRY EXTRA HARD, THIS NEXT WEEK TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT GETTING OFF THE PHONES, GETTING SOME MORE REST, GOING TO BED EARLIER. AND GOING TO BED PREDICTABLY. THEY WILL BE SLEEPIER.

Mass. doctor on health impacts of seasonal time changes

Updated: 10:00 AM EST Mar 11, 2023

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says seasonal time changes such as the one that will take place over the weekend can have “dangerous consequences.”Mass. General’s Dr. Ali Raja says there have been studies that have looked at the time switch. “They show that there are more car accidents after the time change, that there’s more heart attacks, strokes and even in the hospital, medical errors,” Raja said. “That’s why a lot of people are talking about getting rid of seasonal time changes altogether.”Raja says inside the emergency room at Mass. General Hospital, they haven’t noticed a increase in problems amid time changes. “We’ve got a great team that’s used to this, and we’ll sort of absorb any other increase in volume that comes up.””The good thing is the overnight shift on Saturday night’s going to be an hour shorter and everybody always likes that,” Raja said.”The fact is that it’s a big deal for kids,” Raja said. “It’s a really big problem for teenagers. There have been studies that have looked at teenagers. And what they found is that over the next week, that Monday to Friday, following the time change, they lose 32 minutes of sleep per night.””Teenagers have longer reaction times and more problems concentrating and daytime sleepiness, which is obviously a problem with driving and sports and stuff like that,” Raja said. “So parents of all kids, but especially teenagers, are going to try extra hard, are going to have to try next week to try really hard to talk to them about, you know, getting off the phones, getting some more rest, going to bed earlier, knowing that predictably they’re going to be sleepier all week.”Video below: Mass. General doctor on health risks of changing time

BOSTON —

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says seasonal time changes such as the one that will take place over the weekend can have “dangerous consequences.”

Mass. General’s Dr. Ali Raja says there have been studies that have looked at the time switch. “They show that there are more car accidents after the time change, that there’s more heart attacks, strokes and even in the hospital, medical errors,” Raja said. “That’s why a lot of people are talking about getting rid of seasonal time changes altogether.”

Raja says inside the emergency room at Mass. General Hospital, they haven’t noticed a increase in problems amid time changes. “We’ve got a great team that’s used to this, and we’ll sort of absorb any other increase in volume that comes up.”

“The good thing is the overnight shift on Saturday night’s going to be an hour shorter and everybody always likes that,” Raja said.

“The fact is that it’s a big deal for kids,” Raja said. “It’s a really big problem for teenagers. There have been studies that have looked at teenagers. And what they found is that over the next week, that Monday to Friday, following the time change, they lose 32 minutes of sleep per night.”

“Teenagers have longer reaction times and more problems concentrating and daytime sleepiness, which is obviously a problem with driving and sports and stuff like that,” Raja said. “So parents of all kids, but especially teenagers, are going to try extra hard, are going to have to try next week to try really hard to talk to them about, you know, getting off the phones, getting some more rest, going to bed earlier, knowing that predictably they’re going to be sleepier all week.”

Video below: Mass. General doctor on health risks of changing time

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