The end of daylight saving time, marked by “falling back” an hour, results in an extra hour of sleep. While many college students appreciate the extra rest during a busy semester, the change disrupts sleep cycles and can take a toll on productivity.
Less daylight and more darkness interrupts the body’s circadian rhythm.
Often referred to as the “body’s clock,” the circadian rhythm determines hormone fluctuation. The disruption of sleep can cause these hormones to be thrown off their 24-hour cycle, potentially leading to sleep disorders, mood disturbances and health issues.
Light and dark are the biggest external influences on circadian rhythms, which also control the sleep-wake cycle. Darkness increases melatonin production in the brain, which accounts for the earlier sleepiness that is associated with returning to standard time in the fall.
When melatonin levels rise, students often experience reduced focus and increased fatigue, leading to decreased productivity during the fall semester.
“I get so sleepy as soon as the sun goes down,” SRU student Ryan Mills said. “When it gets dark around 5 p.m. my brain thinks it’s time to go to sleep.”
College students on average experience more insufficient and low-quality sleep. Falling back during the fall semester disrupts this more.
Falling back not only affects students’ sleep schedules but also impacts productivity by altering students’ daily routines.
In some cases, less productivity is a direct result of not having enough time in the day.
“Being an overall outdoorsy person, it’s hard to squeeze things into my schedule to do them when it’s light outside,” Mills said.
Productivity can also be negatively affected by decreased focus and motivation from daytime fatigue around falling back.
Ways students can cope with potential negative effects of daylight saving time include keeping a consistent sleep schedule and limiting caffeine and screen time before bed.
