Most of the country will enter the annual ritual of readjusting their clocks for the next six months this weekend. People living today in 48 of 50 states have never experienced life without daylight saving.
The practice began in 1918, when the federal government passed a law signed by Woodrow Wilson to add an extra hour of daylight and reduce fuel costs during World War I. Our current president, Donald Trump, recently began a conversation about making daylight saving time permanent and eliminating the annual clock change, but to no avail. He argued that most people prefer lighter evenings to mornings, and that the ritual of changing clocks is driving everyone crazy.
Some studies suggest that changing the clock harms health, especially during the “spring forward” change. Researchers contend that these changes disrupt our circadian rhythms, the internal clock influenced by daylight. Studies have shown there is a 6% increase in fatal car accidents and a 10 to 24% jump in heart attacks. The cardiovascular system is closely tied to natural light, and stroke rates rise similarly.
During the “fall back” time, health issues differ from Spring but remain noticeable. In Fall, there is generally an 11% increase in hospital visits from patients complaining of depression. Most of those individuals take 10 weeks for symptoms to dissipate as they adjust to shorter days and darker evenings.
The loss of sleep during the spring change negatively affects students and workers. It is estimated that chronic sleep deprivation costs an estimated $672 million annually in lost production and increased healthcare expenses.
Educators and parents counter the argument to end daylight saving time by saying they want more morning light during Autumn and longer days of light in spring. Granted, students are far less susceptible to these negative health effects because of their age. However, concerns about a better learning environment and safety have some validity.
Beyond educational benefits, is there anything else that justifies the practice? Perhaps, but first one must address the health data linked to the clock changes. Is the data anecdotal and circumstantial, or does it show a direct connection?
One could conservatively say that health issues rise when the seasons change. Anyone who ministered to the sick can tell you they have often noticed the diminished health and sometimes the death of patients with the onset of seasonal changes.
This begs the question of whether moving the clocks is a good thing or a bad thing. No one complains during the summer months when daylight lasts long into the evening. On the other hand, more morning light for schoolchildren is good and makes the school day safer. When clocks are changed, it is a psychological reminder to ready oneself for a new season(s).
Except in Arizona and Hawaii, no one knows what it is like to live without a clock change. It would probably be a good idea to study subjects who don’t observe daylight saving time.
For the rest of us, maybe it’s time we went back to the way our ancestors lived and finally got rid of falling back and springing forward. It seems like a better choice for most people. Until then, still set your clocks back one hour this Saturday night.