Heart attacks, strokes, car accidents- oh my. The consequences of Daylight Savings Time (DST) and how to avoid them.

Daylight Savings Time – the artificial lengthening of the day which starts in the spring and ends late fall— shifts time against the natural body clock, or circadian rhythm. This one hour time adjustment means a loss in sleep and increased stress. The weeks following the Spring onset of DST leave millions of Americans with increased daytime sleepiness, a higher likelihood of cardiovascular incidents and decreased attention spans.

Know the risks to avoid disaster:

Stroke:
In the first two days following DST, Incidents of ischemic stroke increased by 8% in the regular population, but rose to 20% increase in people over the age of 65 and people who had malignancies. If you observe someone with

Facial Drooping
Arm Weakness
Speech Difficulty
Time to call 911
Think FAST