As we prepare to spring forward into daylight saving time, let's not forget scientists say it's dangerous and unhealthy.
The clocks move forward by an hour at Sunday at 2 a.m., henceforth 3 a.m.
We've put together some information and advice to stay safe.
Try to ease in. It's best to move gradually out of your sleep pattern rather than all at once, so maybe start with a half-hour change in your wake-up time if you can. And of course nap liberally, now and throughout the year.
Sleep scientist Matthew Walker wrote the book "Why We Sleep" — about a still-emerging field of research on the functions, history and vital importance of sleep.
He points to global hospital studies showing an approximate 24% spike in heart attacks on the day in March when clocks are turned forward by an hour and we lose sleep. There is a similar decline in heart attacks in the fall when daylight saving time concludes. Traffic accidents also rise and fall with the loss and gain of an hour's sleep each year, according to Walker's research.
"Most people think nothing of losing an hour of sleep for a single night, believing it to be trivial and inconsequential," Walker wrote in his book. "It is anything but."
The New York State Partnership Against Drowsy Driving is warning drivers to be vigilant, especially in the mornings when roads will be darker. The group said that last year, more than 3,000 crashes in New York State involved fatigued driving or instances where the driver fell asleep.
And the Red Cross of Greater New York, trying to convey a message of hope in this week when we'll all be walking around like zombies, encourages people to use this time to test their fire alarms and replace their batteries.
The group says you can cut the risk of home fire death in half by having working smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
Good morning, and good luck.
