(Radio Iowa) – Iowans may be more grouchy than usual this week, as they’re not getting enough sleep due to the time change, but there’s also a greater health risk from springing forward an hour. Dr. Denise Sorrentino, a cardiologist with the Iowa Heart Center in Ames, says it’s only 60 minutes, but that can be enough to cause serious trouble. “We see the big rise in atrial fibrillation rates, heart attack, stroke, and even motor vehicle accidents,” she says, “often related to inadequate sleep and just bad decision making while driving the vehicle for that first seven to ten days.” Some of us adjust to the shift in time more quickly than others. Sorrentino says our bodies get used to going to bed and getting up at a certain time, and it’s a jolt to our system to move it.

“That 60 minutes can change what we call the circadian rhythm, which is the rhythm at which our blood pressure and heart rate change in the early morning hours to help wake us up,” Sorrentino says. “And people can have difficulties with sleep, blood pressure can become elevated and a lot of people can also feel very groggy, have poor decision making and jetlag.” One thing that can help us to adjust is to start adjusting our bedtime for a week or so before the time change, though that doesn’t do us any good right now.

“Usually, it’s a week for adults to adjust,” she says, “and to really make an effort to be out in sunlight, if available, while the day is ongoing to help that body’s circadian rhythm adjust for this hour change.” The best remedy at this juncture is to simply try and get more rest, and if your schedule permits, a power nap here and there.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports two separate arrests, Wednesday. Authorities say 52-year-old Charles Ray Balius, of Creston, was arrested for Failure to Appear. He was taken to Union County Jail and held without bond until seen by a judge.

And, 53-year-old Michael James Post-Houseman, of Creston, was arrested at a hotel, on charges of Interference With Official Acts, and Disorderly Conduct – Fighting/Violent Behavior. Post-Houseman was taken to Union County Jail. His bond was set at $600.

(Monroe County, Iowa) – A single vehicle accident north of Albia late Wednesday night, resulted in the death of a man from Pella. The Iowa State Patrol reports 29-year-old Michael Hurley Raper died at the scene, when the 2007 Honda Ridgeline he was driving left the road on southbound Highway 137, just south of 655th Avenue. The pickup entered a ditch, went airborne, and rolled over. The accident happened at around 11:30-p.m.

(Radio Iowa) – A new A-A-R-P report finds the 330-thousand unpaid family caregivers contributed work that would be worth five-point-two BILLION dollars in 2021. A-A-R-P Iowa director, Brad Anderson, says that’s an increase of one BILLION dollars — due in part to severe shortages of workers in the field. “There are a lot of people that are out there right now looking for home based care services, but they’re unable to find them because of the workforce shortage. And so that means that family members are having to step up,” Anderson says.

Anderson says another the reason for this increase is the population of residents over the age of 65continues to grow. “Now we have more people that are going to need care, and then fewer people providing that care. So caregivers are going to be asked to do a lot in the coming years and we need policies in place that support them,’ Anderson says. The study found family caregivers contributed an estimated 310 million hours in unpaid care with the dollar figure derived from pay rate of 16 dollars, 80 cents an hour.

(Reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)