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Health effects of Daylight saving time

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You can literally set your watch to it

That moment every year where we magically jump forward in time - and most of us hate it.

If you feel crummy, Dr. Daniel Fortier with Good Samaritan Medical Center says it's for good reason.

Daylight saving time can throw your bodily functions out of whack.

"Their bodies are pumping adrenaline early in the morning to help get them through the day," Dr. Fortier says. "But they're not ready for the day."

Dr. Fortier says those complications lead to higher rates of heart attacks.

The stroke risk for people over 65 spikes as well - as much as 20 percent in the days after daylight saving.

Then there's the drowsiness.

"You get behind the wheel, you're not fully awake yet," Dr. Fortier says. "Your body's sleep/wake cycle hasn't adjusted."

AAA says the consequences can be downright dangerous.

"During the first 6 days of the change over to daylight saving time, the risk for a fatal car crash increases about 5 to 8 percent," says AAA spokesperson Courtney Kinzer.  

Biker Bill Hess says drowsy driving is one more distraction for the people he's sharing the road with - and he says they have plenty.

"You can ride up alongside of them and they're texting, talking on the phone and not even looking," Hess says.

The time change gives him one more thing to think about as he hits the open road.

Doctor Fortier offers a few pieces of advice.

First, install natural light sources in your house, to help simulate daylight.

It'll help get your sleep-wake cycle on track.

Also, he says try not to schedule too much during the first few hours of your work day until your body adjusts.

He says many people are good after a few days, but some people may need weeks to get back to normal.