Year-round daylight saving time is not as good as permanent standard time, sleep experts say

Health

Mar 27

By EEW Magazine Online // Health // Studies

Millions rejoiced when the U.S. Senate recently passed a bill to establish Daylight Saving Time (DST) year-round, but the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is not as enthusiastic as your average cosigner.

While sleep experts agree that eliminating the bi-annual clock change is good for sleep and follows public sentiment, NSF's position remains that Permanent Standard Time is the preferred fit for our natural sleep-wake process and the overall better choice for health and well-being.

So, what’s the difference?

Permanent Standard Time refers to the year-round observation of standard time, while Daylight Saving Time refers to the year-round observation of daylight saving time—a subtle difference with a major impact.

The National Sleep Foundation understands the appeal of having longer, brighter evenings, and DST all year may seem like you get more hours per day of sunlight. However, their specialists argue that this new plan just shifts total bright hours from when we need them in the morning to later in the afternoon. In keeping with that logic, Permanent Standard Time is viewed as the superior option.

“DST essentially fights the natural order of our circadian rhythms, the natural sleep-wake process in our bodies,” says NSF. “Our circadian rhythms rely on bright natural light in the morning to wake us up and to synchronize important biological processes and dimmer light in the evening to make us sleepy and ready for bed. It's unhealthy to alter our bodies' sleep schedules to have more daylight hours in the evening.”

Morning darkness and evening light are considered to be counterproductive by NSF’s standards.

Leading sleep and science-based organizations agree and released a Position Statement on permanent Standard Time last year. They assert that humans’ sleep-wake cycle does not adjust to annual clock change, leading to negative effects on health and safety including cardiovascular disease, motor vehicle crashes, mood changes and depression, and metabolic abnormalities.

The United States experimented by switching to permanent DST in 1974 and quickly reverted to a bi-annual clock change later that same year.

"It wasn't very long ago in the United States that we saw how the public reacted negatively to the effects of permanent DST. We'd love to see an end now to changing the clocks, and permanent Standard Time is the best option afterwards for helping to maintain sleep health," said Erin Koffel, PhD, LP, Senior Director of Research and Scientific Affairs at the National Sleep Foundation.

To learn more evidence-based facts around clock changes to help make informed decisions for you and your family's health, get resources, tips, and tools at www.theNSF.org.