Your body runs on an internal clock that enables you to wake up in the morning and doze off at night.
This internal clock, or circadian rhythm, also helps to control many of the body’s processes, ranging from feeling alert to your body temperature.
Circadian rhythm expert Sam Lewtas said: “Our body clocks themselves are controlled by a few different factors, such as when we eat, when we’re active and also in relation to our exposure to light throughout the day.”
A change in the clocks is another factor that can tamper with your own internal body clock.
Worryingly, the mismatch between timings and your established body schedule can pose a health risk as the clocks go back on October 29.
The expert warned that this seemingly small change can increase your risk of major medical emergencies, like heart attacks and strokes, by a whopping 70 percent.
Lewtas said: “Older patients and those at higher risk of heart disease are at increased risk with the clocks changing.
“Women may also be at higher risk but there is much less consensus in the evidence.”
The circadian rhythm expert isn’t the only one to point to this risk, as mounting research is highlighting the link between the body’s internal rhythms and other biological functions.
For example, a study, published in the journal Sleep Medicine, found that the two days following clock changes spelled a higher risk for stroke rates.
However, some studies also suggest that when clocks fall back in autumn, heart attacks go down.
Nevertheless, experts tend to agree that a combination of underlying health problems like high blood pressure with the disruption to the body’s internal clock creates a dangerous cocktail.
Fortunately, Lewtas explained that easing into the new routine could help reduce your risk. He added: “We can do our best to get a good night’s sleep and potentially consider ‘easing in’ in terms of our bed and eating times in the days leading up by 15-20 minutes.
“However, the truth is that daylight saving is an arbitrary change and the best thing we could do at a societal level, for which there is consensus in the field, is adopt standard time all year round.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
