This Sunday we get back the hour that was lost last spring as daylight saving time officially comes to a close for another year. The Department of Transportation, which is in charge of the time change, says that the practice of daylight saving time saves energy, prevents traffic accidents and reduces crime. However, health care experts say that the time change flip-flop has potentially serious consequences for our health.

“There’s really no reason we should continue to do this back and forth,” said Erin Flynn-Evans, director of the NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory and a consultant to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s Public Safety Committee. “The negative health consequences and the negative effect on multivehicular crashes in the spring are just not worth it.”

According to USA Today, last year the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) said the U.S. should eliminate daylight saving time and stick to a year-round standard time. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, and several U.S. territories have opted not to observe the semi-annual time change

There are several reasons for the AASM stance. Sleep is critical for health and disrupting our natural sleep cycle can trigger depression, mood swings, and even an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as strokes. A report published in 2019 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that the risk for heart attack was higher in the weeks following both the spring and fall time transitions among the 100,000 people surveyed.

Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a NYC-based neuropsychologist and the clinical director of Comprehend the Mind, offers these tips to make the most out of the time change this weekend:

1. Avoid alcohol. When the clocks are turned back in the fall, many bars stay open an additional hour which could cause young people to overindulge and regret the boozing on Sunday. “Even with just a one-hour clock change, our body’s circadian rhythm is thrown off making our brains a bit confused,” says Hafeez. “Alcohol only heightens this effect.”
2. Enjoy physical activity during the daytime. The more time you spend outdoors in the sunshine, the less sluggish you will feel when the clocks fall back, according to Hafeez. With the sun rising earlier after the time change, it is an ideal time to take a power walk or early morning run. Hafeez advises knowing what time of day you feel most energized and aligning your workouts accordingly.
3. Don’t sleep in. Instead, go to bed an hour earlier and allow extra time to wind down before going to sleep. You really should stick to the same wake-up time, says Hafeez.
4. Avoid watching the news before bedtime. Any mental stimulation — especially watching the news! — can make it more difficult to fall asleep. Try listening to tranquil music or guided meditations instead.
5. Consider taking Monday off. Hafeez says that people who know from experience that they are negatively affected by the time change should relax on Monday, if possible, and make that day all about self-care. Wake up early to take advantage of the morning light, enjoy a healthy breakfast, get a massage, or catch up on reading. “People can feel the effects of the clock change for up to three weeks,” she says.  “Taking a day off to focus on your own well-being can be a nice post time change ritual.”