Quebec sets the clock overnight from Saturday to Sunday

However, night falls earlier in the province now, which can have negative effects for some people, such as fatigue or difficulty falling asleep and waking up.

According to Nadia Gosselin, Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Université de Montréal and Scientific Director of the Sleep Medicine Center for Advanced Studies, this time change must be taken into account because it disrupts the body’s function.

Our body and our eyes are very sensitive to light, M explains^me Gosselin, and this variation affects energy levels and mood in some people. Note that this change is caused more by less exposure to the sun than by the needles regressing.

Everyone is different

Although the biennial time change is a controversial practice in Quebec, it can still create certain benefits. If daylight saving time is maintained, the sun rises at a late hour – sometimes even after 8 am – which is more difficult for the body.

“It’s really the morning light that helps the body synchronize with the day and gives a good wake-up signal,” explained the scientific director. This is important, so going back to a regular time helps many people – especially early risers – get this light. »

Most people can easily accommodate this interruption in their schedule. Only a minority of people report having problems that last longer than a week. This is especially true for the elderly, whose biological clock is more sensitive to disturbances. In contrast, others such as adolescents and young adults are less or unaffected by this decline.

“For teenagers, there shouldn’t be any problems because they are used to going to bed late and they have a biological preference for getting up late. This time shift matches their biological schedule,” concludes Nadia Gosselin.

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This article was produced with financial support from Meta Fellowships and The Canadian Press for News.