Winter Time Change in Sweden: Extra Sleep Hour but Health Experts Warn of Lower Sleep Quality

As Sweden transitions to winter time tonight, the clocks will be set back by an hour, offering an extra hour of sleep. However, sleep experts caution that despite the additional sleep time, the quality of sleep often deteriorates during this period due to darker evenings and reduced physical activity. Eevert Partinen, a noted sleep researcher, states there is no medical benefit to the clock change, highlighting its disruption of the circadian rhythm, particularly for evening-oriented individuals. He also points out that families with children may face challenges as children struggle to understand the time change, leading to increased tiredness.

The darker evenings encourage earlier sleep onset and potentially longer sleep duration, especially in northern regions where the difference between summer and winter sleep times can be up to one hour. Yet, the lowered sleep quality and associated difficulties emphasize concerns from health experts. Partinen suggests eliminating the biannual clock changes, arguing that the transition to summer time is particularly tough for night owls, who lose an hour of sleep and face heightened sleep deprivation.

Supporting this stance, research professor Timo Partonen notes there are no advantages to deviating from winter time and warns of elevated risks such as increased traffic accidents and heart issues following the switch to summer time. To mitigate adjustment issues during the dark months, Partinen recommends using a 10,000 lux light therapy lamp for 20-30 minutes every morning and supplementing with vitamin D.

Finland, which has followed the alternating clock system since 1981 primarily for energy savings, is part of ongoing EU discussions about potentially abolishing the practice, with new research studies planned to guide decisions.