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Daylight saving time affects European mortality patterns

Author

Listed:
  • Laurent Lévy

    (Medical School of the University of Geneva)

  • Jean-Marie Robine

    (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)
    École Pratique des Hautes Études)

  • Grégoire Rey

    (Hôpital Bicêtre)

  • Raúl Fernando Méndez Turrubiates

    (ISGlobal)

  • Marcos Quijal-Zamorano

    (ISGlobal
    Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF))

  • Hicham Achebak

    (ISGlobal)

  • Joan Ballester

    (ISGlobal)

  • Xavier Rodó

    (ISGlobal
    Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats)

  • François R. Herrmann

    (Medical School of the University of Geneva
    Geneva University Hospitals)

Abstract

Daylight saving time (DST) consists in a one-hour advancement of legal time in spring offset by a backward transition of the same magnitude in fall. It creates a minimal circadian misalignment that could disrupt sleep and homoeostasis in susceptible individuals and lead to an increased incidence of pathologies and accidents during the weeks immediately following both transitions. How this shift affects mortality dynamics on a large population scale remains, however, unknown. This study examines the impact of DST on all-cause mortality in 16 European countries for the period 1998-2012. It shows that mortality decreases in spring and increases in fall during the first two weeks following each DST transition. Moreover, the alignment of time data around DST transition dates revealed a septadian mortality pattern (lowest on Sundays, highest on Mondays) that persists all-year round, irrespective of seasonal variations, in men and women aged above 40.

Suggested Citation

  • Laurent Lévy & Jean-Marie Robine & Grégoire Rey & Raúl Fernando Méndez Turrubiates & Marcos Quijal-Zamorano & Hicham Achebak & Joan Ballester & Xavier Rodó & François R. Herrmann, 2022. "Daylight saving time affects European mortality patterns," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-34704-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34704-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Poteser & Hanns Moshammer, 2020. "Daylight Saving Time Transitions: Impact on Total Mortality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-5, March.
    2. Hanxin Zhang & Torsten Dahlén & Atif Khan & Gustaf Edgren & Andrey Rzhetsky, 2020. "Measurable health effects associated with the daylight saving time shift," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Joan Ballester & Jean-Marie Robine & François Richard Herrmann & Xavier Rodó, 2011. "Long-term projections and acclimatization scenarios of temperature-related mortality in Europe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 1-8, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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