鶹ý

Health

    • Tick-tock: It's almost time to change our clocks back to standard time. Here's what you should know

    Share

    It’s nearly time for the clocks to repeat an hour overnight, returning us to standard time—but although we’re ‘gaining’ an hour, it still disrupts our sleep schedules, according to experts.

    Clocks will rewind one hour at 2 a.m. on Nov. 5, giving Canadians back the hour that was lost in March at the beginning of daylight time.

    This yearly fall ritual, while usually not believed to be as difficult as the spring time change, can cause a number of small disruptions to our regular functioning. Here’s what you need to know.

    THE IMPACT ON OUR BODIES

    The biggest way that the yearly time changes affect us is through our sleep schedules.

    “Our bodies, just like the bodies of other mammals, are sort of guided by this internal clock or circadian rhythm, which is really that 24-hour cycle that regulates our sleep and other key body functions like appetite and mood,” Anya McLaren, assistant professor in the faculty of health sciences at McMaster University, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview.

    “And what the studies and a lot of evidence has shown is that (daylight time is) not a harmless sort of change that we make every year.”

    The spring time change, in which we jump forward an hour and lose that sleep, has been associated with an increase in car accidents and even heart problems, she said.

    But even though the fall time change may seem less jarring, it still misaligns our internal body clocks.

    One mistake that David Greenberg, a Toronto-based physician and president of D. Dave Healthcare Solutions, often sees people making with the fall time change is that they stay up later that night, believing they’ll still get to sleep the same amount of time due to gaining another hour, and then end up feeling disoriented the next day.

    “The extra hour is illusory in the sense of giving you a chance to be better rested,” he told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview.

    “If you looked at it in terms of jetlag, OK, they say it takes a day for every hour to return to your normal schedule. But what happens when the clocks change is not only do you gain or lose an hour, but it completely changes the time of day when it's light and dark. And it messes people up for a lot longer than a day. It can be for a week or so.”

    The November time change means losing an hour of afternoon sunlight, and some research has suggested that this sudden jump into shorter days can affect those prone to seasonal affective disorder.

    One 2017 study from Denmark found that the transition from daylight time back to standard time was associated with .

    THE SLEEP DEBT

    Disruptions to our sleep schedule can be a bigger problem for those who are already dealing with sleep issues such as insomnia, Greenberg said, but it’s an issue for everyone.

    “Sleep has a huge impact on focus, concentration, memory and just general mood,” he said. “When you've been up all night and up all the next day, a hangnail is a big deal.”

    Many adults already aren’t getting enough sleep.

    “We think that at least a third of Canadians who are between 35 and 64 aren't getting enough sleep in general,” he said, adding that adults should generally be getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

    But it’s not just adults — many kids are operating on a sleep deficit, especially teenagers, according to McLaren, whose specialty is pediatrics.

    Adolescents who have already gone through puberty or are going through puberty deal with something called “social jetlag,” which is a shift in their natural body clock that occurs between childhood and adolescence.

    “Their peak melatonin secretion is happening a bit later,” she said. “They naturally feel tired a bit later and would benefit from being able to sleep in a bit.”

    However, our school system demands teenagers get up early in the morning, and McLaren pointed out that a combination of school pressures, increased screen time, extracurriculars and other social engagements often keep teens up late.

    When time changes for daylight time come around, “it really sort of exacerbates any underlying sleep issue that kids have,” she said.

    She noted that some neurodivergent children, such as children with autism or with ADHD, rely heavily on routine, and the time changes associated with daylight time can impact these children more strongly than other kids.

    TIPS AND TRICKS

    So what can help us minimize the impact of the time change?

    McLaren said that maintaining a good “sleep hygiene” is important during all times of the year, not just around the daylight time switch. This includes strategies such as cutting out screen time for a period of time before sleeping, going to sleep at the same time each night and making sure your sleeping space is dark and comfortable.

    Parents should be aware that very young children might get grumpy and be more prone to temper tantrums around the time change, she said.

    “Educating parents about the fact that this is something that does happen does definitely help to sort of create more tolerance for that behavioural change that could happen with changes in the daylight savings.”

    In the week leading up to the time change, parents could try to gradually shift a child’s bedtime, she suggested, by advancing bedtime by 15 minutes every day or so until bedtime is one hour later just before the time change.

    “That way, a regular 8 p.m. bedtime is moved to 9 p.m. just before daylight savings and once the clocks fall back — the bedtime after (daylight time) will be 8 p.m.,” she explained.

    Greenberg said that it’s certainly worth a try to gradually shift one’s bedtime in the week leading up to the time change, but that he mostly recommends trying to maintain your regular bedtime during the time change, instead of giving into the desire to stay up later.

    McLaren added that taking a short nap no longer than 20-30 minutes can help with grogginess during the day whenever your sleep has been disrupted.

    SLEEP IS AN ISSUE YEAR ROUND

    Daylight time is one of the few times that sleep health tends to come up in the media, McLaren said, but it’s important year round, and is something people should take more seriously.

    “Sleep and sleep health is sort of a primary pillar of child health and child development, and also of adult performance and so much related to mental health and that sort of thing, that I only wish that we had more space to sort of address that all the time,” she said.

    Because of our societal focus on productivity, we tend to think of sleep as a “waste of time,” she said, a “passive process” during which we aren’t achieving anything.

    “But the reality is that our body is anything but passive,” she said. “It’s a very active process where hormones in our body get regulated.”

    Greenberg added that many people disregard their struggles with sleep, or see getting too little sleep as some sort of badge of honour.

    “I think that anybody who is having trouble sleeping should make an effort to speak to their care providers,” Greenberg said. “I think it's one of the great underrated health-care problems.”

    Some regions in the world have done away with daylight time as a whole, sticking to the same standard time all year-round.

    Whether or not that would result in better sleep health overall is something McLaren believes should be studied more.

    “The reality is that poor sleep health and poor sleep quality is really a silent epidemic in our youth, as well as adults. And we really need to take a deeper look into what the solutions are. Potentially doing away with daylight savings could be one.” 

    Correction

    A previous version of this story gave the wrong date for the change to daylight time. 

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    Canada

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province’s police watchdog.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city’s 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      Conditions were warm early Monday and expected to remain that way for most of the day.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

    • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

    • LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • Maritimers will stop Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada’s history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • People across Canada will pause to reflect Monday at Remembrance Day Ceremonies across the country.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • Watch Live

      Watch Live

      Barrie residents will gather on Monday to honour Canada’s veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 鶹ý. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 鶹ý