Effects of Season and Daylight Saving Time Shifts on Sleep Symptoms
Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Citation Manager Formats
Make Comment
See Comments

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Background and Objectives There has been conflicting evidence regarding the association between seasonal changes and daylight saving time (DST) and sleep disorders. This topic is of particular interest currently because the United States and Canada are considering the elimination of seasonal clock changes. The aim of this study was to compare sleep symptoms among participants who were interviewed in different seasons and before/after the transition into DST and standard time (ST).
Methods A total of 30,097 people aged 45–85 years taking part in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging were studied. Participants completed a questionnaire on sleep duration, satisfaction, sleep-onset insomnia, sleep-maintenance insomnia, and hypersomnolence symptoms. Sleep disorders were compared between participants who were interviewed during different seasons and at different times of the year (DST/ST). Data were analyzed using χ2, analysis of variance, binary logistic, and linear regression tests.
Results Among participants interviewed in different seasons, we found no difference in dissatisfaction with sleep, sleep onset, sleep maintenance, and hypersomnolence. Those interviewed in summer had slightly shorter sleep duration compared with those in winter (6.76 ± 1.2 vs 6.84 ± 1.3 hours). Participants interviewed 1 week before vs 1 week after DST transition showed no difference in sleep symptoms, except for a 9-minute decrease in sleep duration a week after transition. However, those who were interviewed a week after transition to ST compared with a week before reported more dissatisfaction with sleep (28% vs 22.6%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.34, 95% CI 1.02–1.76), higher sleep-onset insomnia (7.1% vs 3.3%, aOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.19–4.27), higher sleep-maintenance insomnia (12.9% vs 8.2%, aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.02–2.66), and more hypersomnolence with adequate sleep (7.3% vs 3.6%, aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.14–3.79).
Discussion We found small seasonal variations in sleep duration but no difference in other sleep symptoms. The transition from DST to ST was associated with a transient increase in sleep disorders.
Glossary
- aOR=
- adjusted odds ratio;
- CLSA=
- Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging;
- DST=
- daylight saving time;
- ST=
- standard time
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
Submitted and externally peer reviewed. The handling editor was Associate Editor Barbara Jobst, MD, PhD, FAAN.
Infographic links.lww.com/WNL/C863
CME Course: NPub.org/cmelist
- Received September 30, 2022.
- Accepted in final form March 9, 2023.
- © 2023 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
For assistance, please contact:
AAN Members (800) 879-1960 or (612) 928-6000 (International)
Non-AAN Member subscribers (800) 638-3030 or (301) 223-2300 option 3, select 1 (international)
Sign Up
Information on how to subscribe to Neurology and Neurology: Clinical Practice can be found here
Purchase
Individual access to articles is available through the Add to Cart option on the article page. Access for 1 day (from the computer you are currently using) is US$ 39.00. Pay-per-view content is for the use of the payee only, and content may not be further distributed by print or electronic means. The payee may view, download, and/or print the article for his/her personal, scholarly, research, and educational use. Distributing copies (electronic or otherwise) of the article is not allowed.
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
- Author Response: Effects of Season and Daylight Saving Time Shifts on Sleep Symptoms: Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
- Sheida Zolfaghari, Ph.D. Student, McGill University; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
- Ronald B. Postuma, Professor, McGill University, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Submitted August 09, 2023 - Reader Response: Effects of season and daylight savings time shifts on sleep symptoms: Canadian longitudinal study on aging
- Dieter Kunz, Neuropsychiatric Sleep Physician, Charite-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Submitted July 17, 2023
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
More Online
Podcast
Hastening the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Dr. Brian Callaghan and Dr. Kellen Quigg