On November 2, 2025, Daylight Saving Time (DST) ended, and we were all subject to the annual “fall-back.”
Sure, I love that my early morning walk to yoga has better street lighting as opposed to the dim headlights of the T guiding my path. And of course, I do enjoy the extra hour of sleep on the actual morning of the clock shift. However, for someone who lives for summer nights, where 8 p.m. still feels like a welcome extra dose of brilliant daylight, I’m not exactly psyched about falling back. This last non-DTS supposedly best aligns with the naturally occurring patterns of the sun.
Well, okay, but what about my naturally occurring patterns?
As a result of this change, we feel as if our afternoons are quickly vanishing in front of our eyes, but that doesn’t mean that our internal clocks stop ticking. Our physical and mental functioning is impacted by this seemingly small one-hour difference, and it forces us to adjust to new routines throughout our day — from brushing our teeth in the dark to trying to get in a run before a chilly nightfall.
I know that I am majorly complaining here about losing the warmth and light of the sun after the fall-back, but I can’t say I wasn’t warned; the moment I got accepted into BU, not one person failed to comment on how insanely cold and dark it is during the Boston winter. Kids like me who willingly choose to go to schools with bitter weather generally fall into two categories: those who really hardcore just love winter (perhaps an avid skier or snowboarder), or those who really appreciate the beauty of having four seasons that balance out the year. I definitely fall into the second category and, as much as I dread the early sunsets, I cannot imagine my year without them. I am a lifelong East Coast girl, with roots in New Jersey, who enjoys a snowy white holiday season as much as being down at the shore.
These ill-lit few months during Standard Time before the spring-forward actually make the coming of summer all the more special. I consider the fall-back like an optimistic day, at the very least, because it means we are one step closer to the shortest day of the year (also known as the winter solstice). It also marks the day when I get to start my favorite countdown: the countdown to summer. I always feel a jolt of excitement when I notice on the weather app that the sunset time is getting later and later each day. When spring-forward finally comes around in March, it is so satisfying to realize summer is just around the corner and that all the chapped lips and extra clothing were well worth it.
So, I guess I do have some love for the yin-yang quality of our current indecisive system, or maybe I’ve simply just grown used to it.
As it turns out, science has shown that our bodies reject these socially constructed periods that DST enforces. We actually function better in Standard Time than DST, according to the Canadian Society for Chronobiology. As stated before, despite the clock-setting difference of just one hour, negative human responses are scientifically documented, and the changes are actually disruptive to our sleep. Research shows that the spring-forward is associated with more health risks than the fall-back, primarily because the start of DST in March causes us to lose an hour of sleep. There is an established relationship between the springtime change and spiked rates of various health emergencies like strokes, heart attacks, and severe accidents, such as car wrecks and work-related injuries.
Additionally, according to the Cleveland Clinic, our bodies have naturally occurring ecological clocks that make us want to sleep naturally when the sun goes down, whenever that may be. The DST clock favors Western constructs of social structure, encouraging the use of that extra hour of sunlight for productivity and interactive participation in outdoor activity.
But it may not be what’s best for our bodies.
So what does all of this mean for us students at BU? Some states have opted out of DST, but the movement has not yet reached national approval. BU’s Dome School of Law actually has an entire webpage dedicated to discussing this clock-setting dispute, and apparently, Massachusetts is among a group of states considering changing to an entirely new time zone to accommodate the lack of sun-lit waking hours people in New England are accustomed to. By adopting the Atlantic Time Zone (ATZ), Massachusetts would essentially be on a system that is the opposite of Standard Time.
This ATZ would keep us in a constant state of spring-forward mode, without the twice-annual switches during the spring and fall. I am definitely a fan of this idea because it avoids the human acclimation issues with the current system and complements our community’s social and productive nature. (Also to note: most pro-Standard Time organizations are also fighting for the “elimination of twice yearly time” alterations).
For now, we unfortunately have no other option but to cope with the realities of our existing DST system, many times turning to humor to lighten the mood (ba-dump-bump). For instance, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) often becomes a common punchline during the winter months, poking fun at the suspected psychosomatic nature of these “winter blues.”
But the reality of SAD for many is anything but funny; millions are affected globally, and women in particular often experience the brunt of these seasonal shifts. According to the National Institutes of Health, female circadian rhythms are more sensitive to changes in light, influenced by hormones, sleep quality, and stress levels. Women are also 2-4 times more likely to suffer from SAD, experiencing dramatic imbalances of estrogen and progesterone. It is important to remember that our cultural and socioeconomic expectations for women are also not complementary to any change that limits daytime hours. Traditionally, maternal roles have included endless childcare and housework responsibilities around the clock.
Most mothers (including mothers working outside the home) are already challenged trying to fit domestic work into daylight hours, even before the fall-back switch. Not to mention the pressure for women to tackle an inexhaustible list of holiday chores during the shorter winter days. Additionally, a woman’s social life is subject to seasonal alterations. Many women must navigate the darker months with added safety concerns and reshape how they move throughout the day.
There is also a social pressure to be perpetually upbeat in these bleaker months, all while keeping up our appearance and everyone else’s spirits. Unfortunately, a woman’s emotional labor doesn’t get to hibernate when the sun sets.
The Canadian Society for Chronobiology explains that maternal figures usually carry the stressors of taking care of their young kids before the sun is up, and it makes sense that the system fails to favor women’s needs, considering that the first known champion for DST was an English outdoorsman who just wanted more time to play golf during summer. These advocates failed to consider the parts of society who were still most likely to feel the negative impacts in the winter of year-round DST: essential workers getting up before dawn to get to their minimum wage jobs without paid sick leave, as well as parents (usually mothers) struggling to get their kids out of bed and ready to go to school in complete darkness.
Another group to consider is young adults between 18 and 30 — the age group that many of us college students belong to. This group is found to be especially prone to SAD because the neurodevelopment of the brain is still a work in progress. Let’s face it, life during these younger ages while starting a new life away at college or a job, is stressful to begin with.
I do find it interesting how some people seamlessly adapt to these time changes despite the physical toll. Tiny rituals make a difference; impromptu walks in rare daylight, sunlight study spots when possible, lamp-therapy, group dinners for moral support, candles, laughter, and the appreciation of a warm kitchen or bed. Darkness slows us down, yes, but sometimes that slowness can serve as a gentle recalibration; a reminder to rest, reflect, and reconnect.
And yet, I can’t help but ask, why do we still keep DST around? The system feels outdated and structured around productivity more than well-being.
For now, we have no choice but to cope with the challenges of Daylight Saving. However, by learning to move more gently through these darker months, we can rethink how we measure time itself — not just by daylight, but by the depth of how we live within it.
How do shorter days impact you?
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