SleepScore Labs programme gently moves body clock forward for better health

In much of the northern hemisphere, the clocks will soon go forward, but research has shown that moving the clocks has detrimental effects on health.

In much of the northern hemisphere, the clocks will soon go forward marking the arrival of spring, warmer weather and more hours of daylight. But research has shown that moving the clocks forward disturbs the circadian rhythm, and the abrupt change has clear, detrimental effects on health: heart attacks and strokes increase significantly, and the number of car accidents spikes upwards.

For those people living in countries where the clocks move forward, SleepScore Labs, the developer of a sleep improvement app, has produced a four-day programme to prepare your body and mind for the shift. Essentially, it recommends adjusting your schedule by fifteen minutes over the course of four days, and provides notifications through its app.

Neuroscientist Matthew Walker, shares the research on the health effects associated with lack of sleep, and abrupt changes to the circadian rhythm, in his book Why We Sleep. The impact on memory, the immune system, and other physiological processes is well-evidenced.