Posted Nov. 2, 2007 – Need a little extra sleep?  How about an extra hour this weekend?

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At 2 a.m. on Sunday, those of you who feel you need extra sleep time will get it by turning back your clocks one hour – marking the end the end of Daylight Saving Time this year.

And while that extra hour may make you feel good, it can have some negative effects on your body, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Scientists say this is also the time of year you lose vitamin D and calcium, which results in bone loss and increased inflammation. Swelling is a well-recognized symptom of periodontal diseases, which is why it has been suggested that calcium and vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for periodontal diseases." Research shows that the best way to get the required amount of vitamin D is from the sun.

Ten to 15 minutes of sun exposure, at least two times a week to the face, arms, hands or back is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D. People who live in an area with limited sun exposure may want to eat foods high in vitamin D such as milk, eggs, sardines and tuna fish. Researches say you should also adjust your bed time by 15 minutes a day and exercise daily.

On the flipside, German scientists say your body's clock never adjusts to Daylight Savings Time, making you more vulnerable to disease.

“Normally our body clock adjusts to the seasons of the sun. What we find at Daylight SavingTime is that this exact adjustment is being interrupted. The body’s annual rhythms are going down the drain,” said Till Roenneberg, Professor of Chronobiology, whose findings are published this week in the scientific journal Current Biology.

“This means the body’s biological systems can’t adjust to things such as climate changes and parasites, so it's possible that we are more likely to get diseases.”

What works best for you?  Daylight Savings Time or Standard Time?  Click 'Discuss Now" to post your comment.