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Symposium session: Daylight saving time – should we save it?

Tracks
Track 2
Saturday, October 19, 2024
11:00 AM - 12:35 PM
Arena 1A

Details

The advancing of the clocks by an hour during summertime in many places around the world has caused considerable debate over the years with arguments posited for its beneficial/detrimental effects on physical and mental health, social function, economics, energy utilization, pollution and public safety. Central to many of the effects attributed to daylight saving time (DST) on health outcomes is its effect on sleep and circadian rhythms. The Australian Sleep Health Foundation has assembled a working party to investigate the debate over DST, particularly as it relates to health outcomes, and develop an evidence-based recommendation. This session will present the findings of the working party to date. The biological challenges imposed by changing of the clock will be summarised. An in-depth summary of the health outcomes associated with DST as well as a summary of the grey literature associated with DST in Australia will also be presented and input from the audience will be welcomed.


Speaker

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Prof Shantha Rajaratnam
Head Of School, Psychological Sciences
Monash University

Biological challenges of daylight saving time

11:00 AM - 11:20 AM

Biography

Professor and Head of the Monash School of Psychological Sciences and Chair, Sleep Health Foundation, he was previously Deputy Director of the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health. Shantha Rajaratnam was awarded his PhD degree from Monash University in 1998, and completed a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2000. He undertook postdoctoral training at the Centre for Chronobiology at the University of Surrey, UK from 2000-2002, where he investigated human sleep-wake regulation, in particular the role of melatonin. In 2004 he took up a visiting academic position at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, USA, investigating the impact of melatonin agonists and light, on sleep and circadian rhythms, and fatigue management programs in occupational settings. Since 2006 he has served as Chair of the Monash Sleep Network. He is a Lecturer in Medicine in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Neuroscientist in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Bingham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He is a Chartered Psychologist in the UK and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He is past President of the Australasian Sleep Association, Program Leader in the Alertness CRC and serves on the Board of the Sleep Health Foundation. His research interests include circadian regulation of sleep, effects of melatonin and melatonin agonists on sleep and circadian rhythms, effects of light on the human circadian system, evaluation of fatigue management programs for shift workers, consequences of sleep loss and sleep disruption, and regulation of working time and legal issues relating to sleep loss and fatigue.
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Dr Jen Walsh
Director
Centre For Sleep Science / University of WA / West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute / SCGH

Does daylight saving time affect our health?

11:20 AM - 11:40 AM

Biography

Dr Jen Walsh is the Director of the Centre for Sleep Science at the University of Western Australia also leads the sleep physiology research team at the West Australian Sleep Disorders Institute at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Jen’s research focuses on investigating the causes of, and treatments for, sleep disorders including obstructive sleep apnoea and insomnia. Since 2016 her research has included investigating the use of medicinal cannabis for the treatment of sleep disorders. With the CSS team she is also dedicated to providing evidenced-based sleep education.
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Prof Sally Ferguson
Director, Appleton Institute
CQ University

What does the Australian/New Zealand grey literature say about daylight saving time?

11:40 AM - 12:00 PM

Biography

Sally is the Director of the Appleton Institute at CQUniversity with more than 20 years of experience in sleep and circadian research in applied settings. Sally and her team have partnered with healthcare, mining and resources, rail, aviation, marine operations, agriculture and the fire and emergency services sector. Sally does a lot of work in the area of fatigue risk management and sleeps quite well herself.
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Assoc Prof Moira Junge
CEO
Sleep Health Foundation

Recent opinions about daylight saving time

12:00 PM - 12:05 PM

Biography

Moira is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Monash University, is a registered practicing Health Psychologist and is the CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation. She was a founding member of the Behavioural Management of Sleep Disorders Committee within the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) in 2009 and was the Chair of the ASA Insomnia and Sleep Health Council (2008-2015). Moira is passionate about promoting the importance of good sleep health, providing the community with access to evidence-based solutions for sleeping difficulties, and about translating research into practical applications in the community.
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Assoc Prof Moira Junge
CEO
Sleep Health Foundation

Chair: Panel Discussion

12:05 PM - 12:30 PM

Biography

Oliver Rawashdeh

Chair

Biography

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