The Tie Between Medical Errors, Daylight Saving

The future of daylight saving time hangs in the balance as lawmakers consider potential negative health effects associated with the time shift, while a past study indicates increased patient safety incidents related to the time shift. In the days following the switch to daylight saving time, human mistakes tied to patient safety-related incidents increased by almost 20 percent, according to a study published in 2020 by the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Experts at the March 9 hearing, convened by the House Energy and Commerce Committee's subcommittee on consumer protection, said the time shift hurts sleep, is linked to cardiac problems, and presents other health and public safety risks.