Sleep expert Hannah Peach explains the science behind the time change

As clocks turn back and daylight saving time ends this weekend, many people look forward to gaining an extra hour of sleep, or this year, an extra hour of Halloween festivities. 

But according to Hannah Peach, UNC Charlotte sleep health expert and associate teaching professor and associate chair of the CHESS Department of Psychological Sciences, the transition to standard time does not necessarily lead to more restorative rest. 

In a new Q&A, Peach explains how the time change affects the body’s internal clock, why the fall transition is easier on sleep than the spring shift and why permanent standard time may offer long-term health benefits, particularly for children and adolescents.