Iowans need to remember to push their clocks back an hour before heading to bed on Saturday night, and one expert says falling back can be very tough on our bodies, so we need to start prepping now. Erica Neumeister (NOO-my-ster), a nurse practitioner in sleep medicine at Emplify Health by Gundersen, says the end of daylight saving time can throw many things in our lives out of whack, with a higher risk for car accidents, depression and heart attacks.
Neumeister says it can take several weeks for our internal clocks to resynch, and the time shift can have longer-term impacts, as cardiovascular health, immune response, stress and mood can all be impacted.
For the next few weeks, Iowa drivers need to take special care to ensure they’re fully awake and staying vigilant.
There are a few ways to make the transition easier, as she says it’s ideal for adults to continue getting seven to eight hours of sleep nightly.
Emplify Health by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.
