San Antonians will gain an extra hour when Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 4. For the first time in more than 20 years, the rules for Daylight Saving Time (DST) changed this year. The new rules extended the length of DST about one month. It began on March 11 and ends November 4. James Williams, M.D., an emergency department physician at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital advises everyone to get up at their normal waking time on Sunday instead of sleeping late for an easier transition to the new time. Two recent studies by scientists in Germany indicate that springing forward represents a significant disruption to the body clock. Though the time change is only an hour, research shows that some people never adjust their biological timing for the lost hour of sleep all through the summer and fall. These studies indicate that both sleep and peak activity levels return when daylight saying time ends each fall. About 1.6 billion people around the world have to spring forward and fall back each year. Dr. Williams would make a good interview for your stories reminding San Antonians about the time change.

If you are interested in doing a story, please phone Shirley Wills at 822-2378 or 365-4488(cell) or JoAnn King, 575-0171 or 325-3294 (cell). For media assistance during the weekend, please phone Methodist Hospital, 575-4000, and ask for the public relations representative on call.