New research published by the University of Bristol Medical School’s Population Health Sciences department has found that increased hours of sleep are significantly associated with better health during the winter months.
The research, titled ‘Acute effects of daylight saving time clock changes on mental and physical health in England,’ further found that there is little evidence to suggest that the change to the summer clock, British Summer Time (BST), has a positive impact on mood.
This was concluded based on evidence of fewer hospital and GP visits for a list of mental and physical health conditions.
Within the research, conditions such as major acute cardiovascular disease, depression, eating disorders, road traffic injuries, self-harm and sleep disorders all saw decreases in the number of people accessing primary or secondary care.
This is contrary to past calls, mainly from outside of the UK, for the clock changes to be abolished due to their negative effects on mental and physical health.
The author of the research, Melanie A de Lange, told The Londoners: “We conducted this research because the evidence on the effects of the daylight saving time clock changes on health is inconsistent, and most previous studies have been conducted outside the UK.
Research from other countries may not translate directly to the UK because we have different daylight patterns, a different healthcare system and the baseline health profile of the population is likely to be different.”
On the contrary, while the autumn clock change can disrupt your internal body clock (circadian rhythm) due to shorter days and less sunlight, research concludes that in the short term, fewer people seek immediate help for the named conditions.
However, sleep charities have suggested that an increased number of people are seeking counselling and therapy services for sleep difficulties, which has gone up by 20% since 2024.
Regarding this, sleep and mental health charities suggest limiting screen time for 30 minutes before bed, as well as adjusting your routine by pushing your bedtime forward by 15 minutes each day when the clock changes.
In response, The Sleep Charity’s deputy CEO, Lisa Artis, told The Londoners: “While this was an observational study and the reasons behind reductions in certain health conditions remain unclear, it strengthens the conversation around the critical role sleep plays in our overall health.
This research reinforces the need for continued investment in sleep education and support, ensuring that individuals have the tools and resources to achieve healthy sleep habits.”
Author Melanie A de Lange added: “Future research could try to unpick exactly what is happening over the Autumn clock change, perhaps using data on people’s sleep and morning light exposure, linked to the same people’s GP and hospital data.”
The full research paper can be accessed here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with sleep or mental health, please contact your GP or call the charity Samaritans at 116 123.
Featured Image: Ruslan Sikunov via Pixabay
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