Citation

Lahti T, Sysi-Aho J, Haukka J, Partonen T. Occup. Med. 2011; 61(1): 26-28.

Affiliation

Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Mannerheimintie 166, FI-00300, Helsinki, Finland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/occmed/kqq167

PMID

21078830

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recent research has indicated that transitions into and out of daylight saving time (DST) unbalance the physiological circadian rhythm and may lead to sleep disturbance. Sleep deprivation may have negative effects on motivation, attention and alertness and thus it is possible that transitions into and out of DST may increase accident rates. AIMS: To explore the impact of DST transitions on the number of occupational accidents in Finland. METHODS: For the study, we analysed all occupational accidents that happened in Finland 1 week before and 1 week after DST transitions during the years 2002-06. RESULTS: Transitions into and out of DST did not significantly increase the number of occupational accidents. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that sleep deprivation after DST transition is not harmful enough to impact on occupational accident rates.

Language: en