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Methodological guidelines for circadian modeling of Daylight Saving Time: application to the United States

Martin-Olalla, J. M.; Mira, J.

2026-06-22 public and global health
10.64898/2026.06.17.26355889 medRxiv
Show abstract

Modeling the circadian impact of seasonal clock changing requires precise synchronization between solar and social time. This report critiques a recent study that associated disease prevalence in the United States with seasonal clock exposure. We identify a fundamental computational error in which a sign reversal of the longitudinal offset effectively inverted the US East-West axis, cross-correlating local health data with the circadian burden of hypothetical locations on the opposite side of a time zone. We outline the methodology for a correct modelization of the circadian process in the context of US geography.

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