‘Fall back’ time change in Miami can affect your health. Here are 5 takeaways

As daylight saving time comes to an end, South Florida will soon enjoy an extra hour of sleep as clocks are set back one hour. This time change, while offering more morning light, can disrupt our internal clocks and impact health.

FULL STORY: A time change is coming soon to South Florida. How that could affect your health

Here are the highlights:

• Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 2 a.m., when clocks in Miami will move back an hour, resulting in sunrise at 6:30 a.m. and sunset at 5:38 p.m.
• Health experts warn that these time shifts can disrupt circadian rhythms, potentially leading to adverse health effects such as weakened immune systems and increased fatigue.
• One doctor likens the time change to jet lag, noting that the shift can affect cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being, particularly for those already sleep-deprived.
• The adjustment period varies, with most people needing about a day to adapt, though infants and older adults may find it more challenging due to their sensitivity to light changes.
• To ease the transition, experts recommend adjusting sleep schedules gradually, limiting caffeine intake, and using light exposure strategically to help the body adapt to the new time.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by Miami Herald journalists.