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Time to spring forward this Sunday

Anyone with a small child or a dog will tell you that the first few days after a time change can be difficult to navigate.

Toddler’s well-tuned bedtimes are thrown into chaos, dogs have their daily routine memorized until your routine no longer matches up.

Needless to say, nobody is happy.

And the evidence backs that up.

According to the Associated Press, Fatal car crashes temporarily jump the first few days after the spring time change, according to a study of U.S. traffic fatalities. The risk was highest in the morning, and researchers attributed it to sleep deprivation.

Then there’s the cardiac connection. The American Heart Association points to studies that suggest an uptick in heart attacks on the Monday after daylight saving time begins, and in strokes for two days afterward.

Doctors already know that heart attacks, especially severe ones, are a bit more common on Mondays generally — and in the morning, when blood is more clot-prone.

Researchers don’t know why the time change would add to that Monday connection but it’s possible the abrupt circadian disruption exacerbates factors such as high blood pressure in people already at risk.

The discussion over eliminating daylight saving time and keeping the same schedule year-round has gained steam in recent years, with then-President-Elect Donald Trump vowing to put an end to the practice, which dates back to a Canadian town in the early 1900s. While Trump says a lot of things, the elimination of this twice-a-year disruption to daily life may be one of the few places where Trump can find bipartisan support.

Either way, remember to change your clocks before heading to bed Saturday night, lest you wake up as confused as your hungry pup.

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