Depression Diagnoses Rise Following Transition to Standard Time
Credit: Aarhus University
The number of people diagnosed with depression at psychiatric hospitals jumps 8% above expected levels during the month following the transition from daylight saving time to standard time, researchers found in a study published online in Epidemiology.
The findings were based on an analysis of 185,419 depression diagnoses in the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register between 1995 and 2012. Researchers looked at the number of depression diagnoses made at psychiatric hospitals in Denmark, focusing on the transitions to and from daylight saving time.
The increase in depression diagnoses in the weeks following the transition back to standard time is 8% above what would be expected based on the number of diagnoses before the transition, the study found.
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“We are relatively certain that it is the transition from daylight saving time to standard time that causes the increase in the number of depression diagnoses and not, for example, the change in the length of the day or bad weather,” said researcher Søren D. Østergaard, MD, PhD, associate professor at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark. “In fact, we take these phenomena into account in our analyses.”
The study identified no parallel jump in depression diagnoses during the transition from standard to daylight saving time and no underlying mechanism triggering the increase during the transition back to standard time. And even though the study analyzed relatively severe depressions diagnosed at psychiatric hospitals, researchers believe the time transition affects less severe forms of depression, too.
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“We expect that the entire spectrum of severity is affected by the transition from daylight saving time to standard time, and since depression is a highly prevalent illness, an increase of 8% corresponds to many cases,” Dr. Østergaard said.
“Our results should give rise to increased awareness of depression in the weeks following the transition to standard time. This is especially true for people with a tendency towards depression — as well as their relatives. Furthermore, the healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat depression should also take our results into consideration.”
—Jolynn Tumolo
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