Doctor Explains How Time Change Turns You Into a Zombie

Each spring, millions of Poles endure the shift to summer time. The change shortens sleep by one hour and often sparks complaints about fatigue and poor focus.

Personal accounts of disruption

Many describe dramatic effects after the clocks jump forward. A 46-year-old woman named Ewa says the shift feels like losing half a night.

She reports brain fog, headaches, a racing heart, and reliance on large amounts of coffee. Her mood and patience decline for days, she adds.

How clinicians view the problem

Dr. Jacek Krajewski warns that the adjustment harms more than human routines. He notes pets also suffer because their daily rhythms are disturbed.

He explains the body cannot instantly adapt. That mismatch destabilises sleep, hormones, and overall functioning, he says.

Short-term and long-term risks

Studies link the clock shift to poorer sleep quality and reduced recovery. Research shows rises in heart attacks and strokes after the transition.

Groups at higher risk include teenagers, older adults, chronically ill people, and shift workers. Memory, attention, and productivity can all decline.

What the biological clock does

The internal clock controls sleep, body temperature, and hormone cycles. It follows the sun more than social schedules.

Moving time creates social jetlag. Peaks of alertness shift and need time to settle back into place.

Public debate in the EU and Poland

Daylight saving began over a century ago to use daylight more efficiently. Modern evidence suggests it no longer saves energy.

In 2018, the European Commission proposed ending the twice-yearly change. The proposal stalled because member states could not agree on a standard time.

That same consultation found 84 percent of Europeans supported scrapping the switches. In Poland, a CBOS survey showed 74 percent favored permanent summer time.

Practical note

Clocks are moved forward during the night from March 28 to March 29. Time jumps from 2:00 to 3:00 a.m., costing one hour of sleep.

A doctor explains why the time change can leave people feeling like zombies. Those affected should monitor symptoms and consult a clinician if problems persist.

Filmogaz.com provides this summary for information only. Medical concerns require professional advice from a healthcare provider.