The science of why daylight saving time is bad for you

Spring forward, fall back into depression

The sun rises
(Image credit: CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)

This weekend marks the end of daylight saving time. That means that, on Sunday morning at 2 a.m., clocks across America will magically jump back one hour.

For many, this offers a small but valuable treat: An extra hour of sleep. But those extra winks may come at a high cost, according to a new research paper published in the journal Epidemiology. The study shows a drastic spike in diagnoses of depression immediately following the time change. What's going on here?

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Hallie Golden

Hallie Golden is a freelance journalist in Salt Lake City. Her articles have been published in such places as The New York Times, The Economist, and The Atlantic. She previously worked as a reporter for The Associated Press.