What the End of Daylight Saving Time Would Mean for Us

What’s new

President-elect Donald Trump has reignited the decades-old debate over Daylight Saving Time (DST). He described it as “troublesome” and “very costly to our nation” and announced that the Republican Party would aim to eliminate the practice, a move that was supported by several allies, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Public opinion is somewhat divided on the issue and politicians have divergent opinions on both sides of the bench.

From what the president-elect said, to public opposition and expert opinion, News week examines what the end of DST would actually mean for the United States

News week contacted the Trump transition team for comment via email.

Why it matters

A 2022 YouGov poll found that nearly two-thirds of 1,000 U.S. adults surveyed wanted to end time changes. However, 53 percent of respondents said they wanted to make daylight saving time permanent, compared to 32 percent who preferred standard time.

The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have stated in the past that it is best to do away with time changes and stick to standard time because it better matches the sun and human biology.

Eliminating the time change would require Congressional approval. There have been a number of bipartisan efforts to pass a bill, but all have failed.

The Senate unanimously passed a bill in 2022 to make daylight saving time permanent, but it ultimately fell through in the House.

Another attempt to pass a similar bill in 2023 also failed.

What is daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time involves moving clocks forward one hour during the warmer months of the year to extend daylight into the evening and reduce the need for artificial lighting. It is commonly used in many countries. In the United States, Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

Ending daylight saving time would mean abolishing semi-annual clock changes and staying on standard time (the time observed during the winter months) year-round, bringing sunrises and sunsets earlier under standard time all year round.

Making daylight saving time permanent would mean that clocks would no longer “go back” in the fall. Instead, spring-adjusted time (“spring forward”) would remain in place throughout the year. This would effectively shift more daylight toward the evening during the winter months.

What we know

What does President-elect Trump want?

Trump posted on Daylight saving time is inconvenient and very costly to our nation. »

Although Trump has made his position on DST clear and expressed support for making it permanent in March 2019, it is unclear how he will approach implementing the DST changes. ‘summer.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of different temporal policies?

Permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST)

Benefits

Extended daylight into the evening: Supporters argue that longer daylight in the evening encourages outdoor activities, potentially improving physical health and reducing crime rates through increased visibility.

Economic advantages: Extended daylight hours can boost the economy by encouraging shopping and attending evening events.

Disadvantages

Health problems: Experts warn that permanent daylight saving time can disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to sleep disturbances and associated health risks, including increased rates of heart disease and depression.

Morning darkness: During winter months, permanent daylight saving time would result in darker mornings, which could pose safety risks for early commuters and schoolchildren, according to a study by the Connecticut General Assembly.

Permanent standard time

Benefits

Alignment with natural circadian rhythms: Permanent standard time aligns more closely with human biological clocks, potentially improving sleep quality and overall health, according to Oxford Academic.

Security benefits: Brighter mornings can improve the safety of early morning commuters and schoolchildren, reducing the risk of accidents, according to the Connecticut General Assembly.

Disadvantages

Shorter daylight in the evening: Critics argue that shorter daylight in the evening could reduce opportunities for outdoor activities and negatively impact businesses that benefit from extended evening hours.

What people say

Professor Larry Sabato, founder and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said: News week: “The medical community seems fairly united on the fact that we should have consistent standard time or daylight saving time to avoid the quantifiable health harm that results from advancing and regressing each year.”

“I was in high school when the Uniform Time Act went into effect. What I remember most is that everyone was complaining about something! The same thing will happen now if time is standardized from uniform way. It all depends on where you live and how you live.

Christopher Barnes, professor of organizational behavior, said News week: “Daylight saving time disrupts sleep and circadian rhythms, ultimately harming both well-being and work-related outcomes.”

“The change from spring to daylight saving time, in particular, leads to an increase in workplace accidents, an increase in cyberloafing and a decrease in work engagement. The return to standard time in the fall does not does not appear to have any offsetting benefits.”

“There is clear empirical research showing that circadian misalignment – ​​to which DST contributes – harms health in multidimensional ways. Americans’ overall average health and work outcomes would be better with permanent standard time than any other option (better than our current half/half policy, and better than permanent DST).”

What’s next

Now that Trump has said he will try to end the practice of time changing when he takes office, it’s likely there will be efforts to do so when he returns to the White House.

It remains to be seen whether the efforts will produce tangible results and what they will look like.

Do you have a story Newsweek should cover? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact [email protected].