Saturday 28/March/2026 – 12:00 PM
As the clocks move forward, many are fearful Losing an hour of sleep, which prompted leading scientists to call for an end to the daylight saving time system in Britain, amid growing fears that it causes high rates of cancer, traffic accidents, and sleep problems. Experts considered this change to be equivalent to the entire country’s population being affected by jet lag at the same moment.
Serious health risks and physiological disorders
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. John O’Neill explained that there are small but important risks associated with changing the clocks, as it leads to increased rates of heart attacks, strokes, and road accidents during the first days. He pointed out that this sudden change exhausts the cardiovascular system, especially in the elderly and patients with chronic conditions.
Dr. Katie Barge confirmed that disruption of the circadian rhythm reduces attention and slows down reactions, which increases the possibility of errors for workers in sensitive jobs, due to decreased activity of the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for assessing risks and making decisions.
Long-term consequences and calls for scientific review
Recent scientific studies have shown that the mismatch between the movement of the sun and the body’s biological clocks may lead to serious long-term health effects, such as an increased risk of leukemia, stomach, lung, and breast cancer, which strengthens the arguments of those calling for the complete abolition of daylight saving time. Despite these warnings, supporters of the system’s survival believe that it reduces pressure on the energy grid and supports the tourism sector by providing additional daylight hours for evening activities.
Calls to be patient and conduct comprehensive research
A team from the University of Kent reviewed 157 studies from 36 countries to assess the effects of changing the clocks. The review, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, revealed that moving forward the clocks is associated with an increase in heart attacks and fatal road traffic accidents, but reduces crimes involving bodily harm, while delaying the clocks in the fall leads to a reduction in deaths and workplace accidents.
Dr. Aiste Steponenaite, the lead researcher, confirmed that the public debate classifies daylight saving time as either harmful or beneficial, but the reality is more complex and requires providing accurate evidence to decision makers rather than assumptions.
