If you’re like most Americans, the arrival of spring means the start of Daylight Saving Time (DST). While the changing of the clock is an international pastime that as many as 63% of the US population would like to abolish, the added hours of light in the evenings can be beneficial for reducing energy consumption and crime rates.* The debate begs the question: Is daylight worth saving?

Daylight Saving Time has a complicated history in the United States. The concept is largely credited to George Vernon Hudson, an entomologist from New Zealand, who wanted more daylight hours to collect bugs. He believed shifting the clock would give him more sun in the evening to gather specimens, and he first presented his idea in 1895. His colleagues, however, thought this was nonsense because calling the time by a different hour didn’t change the natural rhythms of the insect world – meaning that Hudson’s bugs would still follow nature over a man-made clock.** Still, the idea eventually gained popularity as a way to conserve energy, and the US implemented it as “War Time” during WWI and WWII. “War Time” ended as a whole, though states had the option to establish a standard time of their own.

Eventually, the Uniform Time Act (passed in 1966) unified the way the US set its clocks and officially adopted Daylight Saving Time for the winter months.*** Supporters of Daylight Saving say that the added hour of sun in the evening is nice for people in the workforce. This is especially true for those who enjoy leisure activities such as golf, and many courses cling to the time change, stating their profits would decline without the extra sunlight to encourage visitors. In fact, the largest lobbying push for Daylight Saving comes from those who have the most to gain economically – the sports industry and retailers.^ But what’s best for people’s health?

Scientists and sleep experts advocate for a permanent decision as the data shows clear adverse effects from the biannual change, particularly when we “spring forward.” The connection between sleep and brainpower is undeniable, and a lack of sleep is known to cause a myriad of health concerns. Mood disturbances and difficulty focusing come to mind first; however, they’re only the tip of the iceberg. Cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, are more common on the days directly after Daylight Saving Time begins. Another concern is the up to 6% increase in fatal car crashes during the same timeframe. Hospitals see increased admissions, emergency room visits, and missed appointments during the change. Even the stock market becomes more volatile on the Monday after DST goes into effect. And while the exact reason for this remains unstudied, experts believe sleep deprivation caused by the time change impairs the prefrontal cortex’s functioning and reduces the ability to make rash decisions.^^

The need to “pick a lane” and stop switching our clocks is clear, but which is better for daily life? While the evidence shows the fluctuation between Standard and Daylight Saving Time has unintended health consequences, there is little documentation about the effects of permanently staying in DST. The concern of delayed sleep phase, however, leaves most experts in favor of maintaining Standard Time year-round.^^ When the sun is directly overhead at noon in Standard Time, it aligns more closely with the body’s circadian rhythm. DST delays the body’s introduction to sunlight in the morning and extends its exposure in the evening, causing your body’s natural rhythm to falter. Supporters of Daylight Saving say that it helps conserve energy since the extra sun reduces the need for artificial lighting. Though power is saved in lighting, the shifted hours of wakefulness encourage people to run their air conditioning more, thus using the same (if not more) electricity.* But what about crime rates? Studies show that the later hour of sunlight reduces robberies. However, when permanent DST was adopted in the past, there was a spike in fatalities among school-aged children, possibly due to traveling to classes in the dark.

Counterarguments can be found for those in favor of Daylight Saving. What can’t be denied is that Standard Time follows our body’s natural inclinations to rise and set with the sun. The critical element is allowing people to set a wake/sleep routine without the disruption of having to “spring forward” or “fall back.” Regardless of the time adopted, most Americans are ready for a change (and for better quality sleep) — and we can't disagree with that!

Sources

*https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/7-things-to-know-about-daylight-saving-time

**https://www.huffpost.com/entry/daylight-savings-time-history-george-vernon-hudson_n_1333378

***https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/1779177/daylight-saving-time-once-known-as-war-time/

^https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/05/health/daylight-saving-time-explainer-wellness/index.html

^^https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7954020/