Listen to the audio summary of the article
Listen on Spreaker.
Sleeping less, for example after the time change, makes us more prone to falling victim to phishing emails: it is not a slogan to promote the end of the change from summer time to standard time, but a scientific discovery made by researchers at the University of California, Irvine and detailed in a study published in PNAS.
According to what was discovered, losing even just one hour of sleep (as happens annually at the end of March and the end of October) worsens our ability to make decisions, making us more easily fall victim to online scams such as those represented by phishing emails.
Those who (don’t) sleep catch… scams
To test the effects of a minimal reduction in hours of sleep, the authors took advantage of a cybersecurity awareness campaign launched by a large US company for its over 11,000 employees. Every few months, the company sent fake phishing emails to employees to test how many would click on the links.
Looking at data from the Monday after this year’s spring time change, we found that office workers fell into the phishing trap 13% more than the previous Monday, clicking 17.76% of the time versus 15.56% (a small, but significant increase).
The findings are important because they show that even just a small sleep deficit can make us more vulnerable not only to scams, but also to bad decisions: «Even if we have focused on cybersecurity, it is likely that many of our daily decisions are compromised in a similar way. Sleeping better probably leads to better decisions”, concludes Eitan Schechtman, coordinator of the research.
Will I change now, yes or no?
What has been discovered is part of the age-old debate (also Italian): summer time yes, summer time no. According to experts, our biological clock does not adapt to changes as quickly as those on the wrist, and even just one hour of moving forwards or backwards can create problems on a physical level: the data speaks of a weaker immune system and more road accidents, probably due to the same drop in concentration and vigilance that makes us fall victim to phishing, and a worsening of mood when changing between summer time and standard time due to the fact that darkness comes earlier.
Regardless of policy decisions, the researchers warn: If time changes continue, companies will need to take precautions to mitigate cybersecurity risks. And not just twice a year, but also “in other periods when sleep is compromised, for example after holidays or major sporting events”, concludes Schechtman.
