According to a 2025 survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 41% of U.S. adults have felt so sleepy while driving that it affected their ability to drive safely. That includes half of men (50%) and one-third of women (33%).

Drowsy driving is like driving drunk

Drowsy driving is a serious health and safety risk, and like drunk driving, it is completely avoidable. When you don’t get enough quality sleep, your brain doesn’t function at full capacity. Fatigue slows reaction times, reduces alertness, and makes it harder to stay focused on the road.

Even moderate sleep loss can affect driving ability in ways similar to alcohol.

One study found that after 17 to 19 hours without sleep, performance was equal or worse than driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%. Response speeds were up to 50% slower, and accuracy dropped significantly. After longer periods without sleep, performance declined to levels comparable to a BAC of 0.1%, which is higher than the legal limit for driving in all U.S. states.

Just as alcohol impairs judgment and coordination, drowsiness can delay reaction times and make it harder to respond quickly behind the wheel.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that about one in six fatal crashes involves a drowsy driver. Drivers between ages 35 and 44 were the most likely to report feeling so tired at the wheel that it impaired their ability to drive safely, but anyone can experience the effects of fatigue.

Warning signs to watch for

You might not realize how drowsy you are until it’s too late. Warning signs include:

• Frequent yawning or inability to keep your eyes open
• Catching yourself “nodding off” or having trouble keeping your head up
• Inability to remember driving the last few miles
• Missing road signs or driving past your turn
• Following too close to cars in front of you
• Drifting into the other lane of traffic
• Driving onto the “rumble strip” or the shoulder of the road

If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to pull over or have another passenger take the wheel.

How to stay alert

Before driving, make sure you’re well rested. The AASM recommends that adults should sleep seven or more hours per night on a regular basis. Avoid driving late at night or alone when possible, and share driving duties on long trips. If you start feeling drowsy, stop at a rest area and take a short nap.

If you work late or overnight shifts, arrange for a ride home instead of driving yourself.

Getting enough healthy sleep is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of drowsy driving.

Learn more about healthy sleep habits or find an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Related:

• The growing shortage of truck parking: A ticking time bomb for drowsy driving accidents
• Drowsy driving in teens
• Drowsy driving kills thousands each year on U.S. roads
• Prevent Drowsy Driving: Stay Awake at the Wheel!

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Now, researchers are raising the possibility that sleep – or lack thereof – may be a factor in determining if we help each other. A surprising new set of research studies found that sleep loss may affect our generosity at an individual, group, and societal level.

Loss of sleep, loss of empathy

Researchers at University of California, Berkley, led three small studies to explore generosity at different levels.

In one study, they exposed a group of healthy adults to a night of 8 hours of sleep and a night with no sleep. Researchers scanned the participants’ brains after each night. After a sleepless night, areas of the brain involved in empathy and helping behavior were less active. In fact, 78% of study participants demonstrated a reduction in the desire to help others.

You’re less helpful after a night of poor sleep

In the next study, researchers tracked 136 people through online questionnaires and sleep diaries for a few days. They wanted to see if nightly variations in sleep affected their desire to help others.

They found that, when sleep quality worsened from one night to the next, there was a major decrease in “helping choices,” such as volunteering or holding a door open for a stranger.

Charitable donations dropped with a single hour of sleep loss

The third part of the study looked at how sleep loss affects generosity on a larger scale. The researchers analyzed data from over 3 million charitable donations made in the U.S. They focused on donations during the transition to daylight saving time in spring each year.

During the spring time change, we lose an hour of sleep. Interestingly, researchers found a 10% drop in donations in regions that change their clocks. This drop wasn’t seen in regions that don’t observe the time change.

They suggest that insufficient sleep triggered by the time change impacts donation behavior.

Conclusion

Together, these three studies suggest that sleep loss influences our empathy, generosity, and desire to help each other.

The researchers liken sleep deprivation to an infection given how it impacts our daily interactions with others. But perhaps getting enough, quality sleep could improve our compassion and kindness.

Medical review by Andrea Matsumura, MD, MS

Authored by:

Kate Robards

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There is growing evidence that suggests daylight saving time comes with dangers, including a greater risk of heart attack, medical errors, and car accidents associated with the spring time change. A recent position statement from the AASM noted that public health and safety would benefit from eliminating seasonal time changes altogether, calling for use of permanent standard time as it more closely aligns with the daily rhythms of the body’s internal clock.

A recent survey from the AASM found that a majority of Americans (63%) support ending the twice yearly time changes in favor of a national, fixed, year-round time.

“Evidence of the negative impacts of seasonal time changes continue to accumulate, and there is real momentum behind the push to end seasonal time changes,” said AASM President Dr. Kannan Ramar. “The AASM believes that a fixed, national year-round standard time would be of tremendous benefit to overall health and safety.”

To maximize the benefits of the hour gained from the fall time change on Nov. 1, the AASM offers these tips for anyone who hasn’t been getting enough sleep:

Wait to change your clocks until it is time to get ready for bed.

Go to bed at your usual bedtime.

Just before getting into bed, set your clocks back one hour.

Wake up at your regular wake time, which will allow you one more hour of sleep.

Try to maintain this new sleep schedule and note how you feel with an extra hour of sleep.

Authored by:

Jennifer Gibson

The post Time to end seasonal time changes appeared first on Sleep Education.

The study involved 35 high school students. They had an average age of 16.5 years. Their nightly sleep was measured by wrist actigraphy.

A wrist actigraph is a type of motion detector. It estimates your sleep time by tracking your movements in bed.

Results show that teens lost an average of 32 minutes of sleep per night after the change to daylight saving time. This added up to 2 hours and 42 minutes of lost sleep during the week. During school days after the time change, students also were sleepier, had slower reaction times and had a hard time paying attention.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teens get a little more than 9 hours of nightly sleep. But more than 90 percent of teens report sleeping less than 9 hours on an average school night.

Learn more about the study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: Adverse Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Adolescents’ Sleep and Vigilance.

The post Spring forward, sleep less: Teens and daylight saving time appeared first on Sleep Education.

As daylight saving time approaches on Sunday, March 8, 2020, there are ways you can prepare to minimize the impact of the time change on your body clock. In the days leading up to daylight saving time, you should:

• Gradually adjust your sleep and wake times. Shift your bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night for a few nights before the time change.
• Set your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday evening, March 7, and go to bed at your normal bedtime.
• Head outside for some early morning sunlight Sunday morning. Exposure to sunlight will help regulate your morning routine.
• Get plenty of sleep on Sunday night to ensure you’re rested and ready for the week.

More than half of Americans say they’re tired after the time change, and studies have found an increase in car accidents during the week following the change to daylight saving time. So, use caution with activities requiring alertness, like driving.

For more information, read the Daylight Saving Time Health Advisory from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

At any time of year, contact an accredited sleep center if you have an ongoing sleep problem.

Authored by:

Jennifer Gibson

The post Sleep tips to prepare for daylight saving time appeared first on Sleep Education.

This year the time change officially occurs at 2 a.m. local daylight time on Sunday, Nov. 2. That is when the official time for most of the U.S. will fall back to 1 a.m. local standard time. (Hawaii and most of Arizona ignore daylight saving time.)

Millions of Americans need more sleep. At least 30 percent of adults fail to get enough sleep each night. As a result the CDC has called insufficient sleep a public health epidemic.

Are you getting at least seven hours of nightly sleep? If not, then you can benefit from an earlier bedtime. Here are some tips to take advantage of the fall time change:

• Wait to change your clocks until it is time to get ready for bed.
• Go to bed at your normal bedtime.
• Just before getting into bed, set your clocks back one hour.
• Wake up at your normal time in the morning.
• Take note of how much better you feel after an extra hour of sleep.
• Continue to go to bed each night at the earlier bedtime.

One hour of extra sleep will not erase a chronic sleep debt. But waking up feeling more alert and refreshed can give you a motivational boost. It can help you make it a priority to maintain an earlier nightly bedtime.

How do you know if you could use an extra hour of sleep each night? Here are 8 signs that you need more sleep:

1. You depend on an alarm clock to wake you up each morning.
2. You rely on caffeine to keep you alert and productive during the day.
3. You try to “catch up” on sleep by sleeping longer on weekends.
4. You are easily distracted and have trouble focusing on a task.
5. You are forgetful or make mistakes.
6. You are irritable or feel depressed.
7. You struggle to stay awake while driving.
8. You are likely to fall asleep while reading, watching TV or sitting in a meeting.

Going to bed earlier may be a struggle if you already get at least seven hours of nightly sleep. Give yourself about 20 minutes to fall asleep after going to bed. If you are still tossing and turning, then get out of bed. Do something relaxing until you begin to feel sleepy.

People who have sleep apnea or another chronic sleep problem may feel tired even after a full night of sleep. Get help for a sleep problem from the sleep team at an AASM accredited sleep center.

The post Fall back to an earlier bedtime as daylight saving time ends appeared first on Sleep Education.

Sleep physicians see the end of daylight saving time as a possible conflict between your body’s circadian rhythms and the expectations of society.

“The time change is kind of a society imposed jet lag,” said Nathaniel Watson, MD, Co-Director of the HMC Sleep Disorders Center at the University of Washington. “Your circadian rhythms will cause you to want to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier than your external environment,” said Dr. Watson.

The effect of the time change on your body is similar to taking a flight from New York to Chicago, or for that matter, travelling westbound over any single time zone.

Fortunately, your body is fairly well-equipped to deal with this initial adjustment. You may fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier for several days, but your circadian rhythms will eventually adjust to the new schedule. For people with a typical daytime schedule, this won’t conflict with your required wake-up time.

If you work a non-traditional schedule, or have a little extra time in the morning, sleep physicians suggest you can ease yourself into the transition the week before the time change. Go to sleep and wake up 10-15 minutes later each day and you can minimize the effects of the time change on your body.

After the time change, melatonin supplements may also help if your circadian rhythms are out of synch. By taking a small dose several hours before your intended bedtime, you can shift the timing of your sleep.

Exposure to as much sunlight as possible in the morning can help your body synch with the new sleep schedule. If you live in a winter climate or have a schedule that doesn’t allow for morning sunlight, bright light therapy is a sufficient substitute. You can buy a special light box or desk lamp that simulates sunlight and resets your circadian rhythms. Bright light therapy is also helpful for minimizing seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and preventing insomnia.

The “spring forward” poses more of an immediate challenge to your body.

“In the fall, we gain an extra hour of sleep, whereas in the spring, we lose that hour. Being a sleep restricted society, the loss of one more hour of sleep in the spring is harder to accommodate than gaining an hour in the fall”, said Dr. Michael Decker, Endowed Chair of the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing.

Common mistakes can sabotage your sleep during the adjustment period surrounding the fall time change.

“One of the biggest mistakes that people make regarding the time change is staying up later and thinking that they’re going to get an extra hour of sleep,” added Dr. Kohler.

Other pitfalls to avoid are drinking alcohol close to bedtime or consuming caffeine in the afternoon or later. If you feel yourself getting tired midday, try taking a brief 15-20 minute nap. However, lengthy or late naps can throw your sleep timing off.

Not all states or U.S. territories observe daylight saving time. Hawaii, Arizona, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas will skip the “fall back.”

Daylight saving time is a contentious issue in other countries. Russia ended the practice several years ago, but many residents complain of dark mornings. In Japan, which hasn’t experienced a time change in more than 60 years, there are talks of reinstating the practice to save energy.

“I understand why we do the time change, said Dr. Watson, “My hope would be that we do away with it at some point and just allow our internal circadian rhythms to move along naturally with the light dark cycles that change from season to season. But I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

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Was traffic noticeably slower on your morning commute? If so, blame daylight saving time. The “spring forward” is believed to cause a temporary spike in traffic incidents. A 1998 Canadian study found that auto accidents may increase as much as 17 percent immediately following the time change.

Media outlets tend to report a few theories on why accidents swell after the spring time change. Each seems reasonable at first glance:

• Drivers acclimated to commuting after the sun is already out may find themselves blinded by the sunrise or driving in the dark.
• More drowsy drivers are on the road after difficulty falling asleep at the regular time due to the spring forward.
• Some people recklessly rushed to work after forgetting to reset their alarm clocks and accidentally oversleeping.

The authors of the Canadian study argue drowsy driving – rather than the other two factors – is why the frequency of accidents escalates after the time change. The study found the only significant increase in accidents occurred during the afternoon commute. That finding appears to rule out an early sunrise or forgetfulness as the reason for an increase in accidents.

Last week, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shared some tips to better brace for the time change but not everyone spends days preparing for the hour of lost sleep. Well-intentioned evening types may still struggle because falling asleep even slightly earlier than normal may be difficult. It may take weeks, but most of the people who fall under either category will eventually adjust and become safer drivers once again.

The “fall back” in November appears to have the opposite effect of the “spring forward”: a sudden temporary decrease in accidents, according to the study. However, that may be quickly negated by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which tends to flare up with the fall time change. SAD may lead to increased daytime sleepiness, which potentially, could mean more drowsy drivers on the roadways during the winter months.

Do you find yourself nodding off at the wheel on a regular basis? You may have a sleep disorder that prevents you from getting regular restful sleep. Schedule an appointment with a clinical sleep specialist and find out if you have sleep apnea or seek treatment for insomnia.

The post Why accidents increase after spring forward to daylight saving time appeared first on Sleep Education.

AASM spokesperson Ron Kramer, MD, with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., says the return of DST is a good time to examine your individual sleep pattern. Along with diet and exercise, sleep is one of the keys to maximize your health.

“The conversion to DST, with its forced loss of one hour of sleep and a change in sleep schedule, can sometimes result in complaints of disrupted daytime functioning,” said Dr. Kramer. “This problem, surprisingly, can last as long as one to two weeks in some people, especially the ‘night-owl’ type of person.”

Daylight saving time officially begins at 2 a.m., Sunday, March 10. The spring change to DST may have a variety of negative effects on health and safety. It can disrupt your sleep and enhance restlessness, causing daytime drowsiness. Research even suggests that the loss of sleep caused by springing forward one hour may be related to an increase in heart attacks and traffic accidents following the time change.

AASM offers the following tips to help you cope with the upcoming change to DST:

• Try to go to bed 15 or 20 minutes earlier each night before the time change. This will give your body a chance to adjust.
• Begin to adjust the timing of other daily routines that are “time cues” for your body.  For example, start eating dinner a little earlier each night
• On Saturday night, set your clocks ahead one hour in the early evening. Then go to sleep at your normal bedtime.
• Try to go outside for some early morning sunlight on Sunday.  The bright light will help set your “body clock,” which regulates sleep and alertness.
• Be careful when driving or operating machinery if you feel drowsy on Sunday.
• Stick to your bedtime on Sunday night to get plenty of sleep before the workweek begins on Monday.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine considers sleep disorders an illness that has reached epidemic proportions. Board-certified sleep medicine physicians in an AASM accredited sleep center can provide effective treatment. AASM encourages patients to talk to their doctors about sleep problems or view our searchable directory of sleep centers.

The post Adjust sleep schedule to minimize effect of daylight saving time appeared first on Sleep Education.

The end of daylight savings time on Sunday, November 4, means more than just turning your clocks back one hour. If you’re not careful, that one hour difference can throw off your circadian rhythms, or your internal clock that helps to regulate your 24-hour sleep-wake cycle.

Because the circadian clock can get out of rhythm fairly easily, it’s important to follow good sleep habits in general throughout the year, according to Dr. William C. Kohler, Medical Director of the Florida Sleep Institute in Spring Hill, Fla.

“When it comes to easing your fall back transition, you can change your sleep habits by 10-15 minutes the week before the time change,” Dr. Kohler suggests.

During the first few days after setting the clocks back one hour, you will also notice that it’s bright outside in the mornings and becomes dark at an earlier time each evening.

It’s helpful to resynchronize to the new light-dark period by trying to capture as much sunlight as possible first thing in the morning, according to Dr. Michael Decker, Endowed Chair of the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Sciences, Georgia State University and associate professor of nursing and neural science.

“So, unless you’re driving, take off your sunglasses,” he says. “This is similar to the strategy used to reset your circadian rhythms when traveling across time zones.

In general, the fall time change is an easier adjustment than the spring time change; however, it can still have adverse effects.

“In either case, most people adapt to the change in about 3-5 days”, says Dr. Decker. “In the fall, we gain an extra hour of sleep, whereas in the spring, we lose that hour. Being a sleep-restricted society, the loss of one more hour of sleep in the spring is harder to accommodate than gaining an hour in the fall. Another parallel is travel across time zones – we find it easier to travel east to west, rather than west to east.”

One of the biggest mistakes that people make regarding the fall time change is staying up later at night thinking that they’re going to get an extra hour of sleep, adds Dr. Kohler.

In addition to adjusting your sleep schedule by 10-15 minutes the week before and getting plenty of sunlight, Dr. Kohler also recommends avoiding alcohol, taking a brief 15-20 minute nap if you feel yourself getting tired and avoid consuming caffeine close to bedtime.

The post Keep your sleep in check with the time change appeared first on Sleep Education.