Summary:
The Coalition for Permanent Standard Time is advocating to eliminate seasonal time changes and adopt permanent standard time, emphasizing its alignment with natural circadian rhythms. They cite health and safety benefits, including improved sleep, reduced risk of accidents, and better overall well-being, while warning of the negative impacts of daylight saving time on public health.
Key Takeaways:
- Health and Safety Concerns: Experts argue that daylight saving time disrupts sleep patterns and increases health and safety risks, such as accidents and cardiovascular events, in the days following time changes.
- Support for Permanent Standard Time: The Coalition for Permanent Standard Time advocates for aligning timekeeping with natural circadian rhythms, which supports better sleep, alertness, and overall well-being.
- Public and Political Momentum: With 50% of Americans supporting the end of seasonal time changes, and attention from policymakers, the push for permanent standard time continues to gain traction.
As a new presidential administration takes office, the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time says political momentum to end seasonal time changes is building. President Donald Trump stated his support for ending daylight saving time, drawing media and policymakers’ attention to reconsider the benefits of ending the biannual clock adjustment.
The Coalition for Permanent Standard Time, whose organizational members include the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), calls on policymakers to abolish seasonal time changes and adopt permanent standard time, which follows science and prioritizes public health, safety, and efficiency.
The public, too, is ready for change, as shown by a recent AASM survey, which found that half (50%) of Americans support legislation to eliminate seasonal time changes, while only one-fourth (26%) are opposed.
“The switch to daylight saving time in the spring may seem harmless, but the reality is far more complicated,” says Jay Pea, co-chair of the coalition and president of Save Standard Time, in a release. “It disrupts our body clocks, affects our sleep quality, and increases risk of avoidable health and safety incidents, such as motor vehicle accidents, cardiovascular events, and even workplace errors in the days following the time change. Adopting permanent standard time, on the other hand, offers a better solution for year-round well-being.”
Coalition: Why Standard Time Is the Healthier Choice
Standard time aligns more closely with our body’s natural circadian rhythms, which regulate sleep-wake cycles. It offers more sunlight in the morning, helping people wake up and feel more alert, while the evenings gradually become dark earlier, signaling to our bodies that it’s time to wind down. This natural alignment supports more restful and consistent sleep.
When daylight saving time is in effect, evening light exposure is prolonged, which can delay bedtime and disrupt sleep patterns. The increased morning darkness, particularly in winter if daylight saving time were permanent, would create additional challenges, such as unsafe conditions for commuters and children heading to school.
“We’ve tried permanent daylight saving time before, and it didn’t work,” Pea says in a release. “This time, let’s get it right by prioritizing health and safety with permanent standard time.”
Tips for Transitioning to Daylight Saving Time
As Americans look to spring forward on March 9, the AASM encourages everyone to take the following steps to minimize the disruption:
- Get at least seven hours of sleep per night before and after the time change. Maintaining a consistent sleep routine is crucial.
- Gradually adjust your bedtime and rise time by shifting them 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night a few nights before the time change.
- Adjust the timing of daily routines that are “time cues” for your body, such as your mealtimes or exercise schedule.
- Set offline clocks ahead one hour on the evening of Saturday, March 8, and go to bed at your usual time. Online clocks will adjust automatically at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9.
- Head outdoors for early morning sunlight the week after the time change, as the bright light will help set your internal clock to the new time. This helps regulate sleep and alertness.
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