Who would ever think twice about getting an extra hour of sleep? Apparently, Daylight Savings causes more harm than good and Congress is doing something about it.
Typically, Daylight savings starts in March, when we move back an hour, and ends in November, when we move ahead an hour. Possibly by next year, this traditional time exchange will cease to exist due to the recent introduction of the Sunshine Protection Act. The act was first introduced to the House of Representatives on January 4, 2021. After referring to the House Committee of Energy and Commerce and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, the act is waiting on Congress’s approval to make “daylight savings time the new, permanent standard time.” What does this mean for Americans? Essentially, come November 2023, the United States would not engage in changing the clock time ahead and will be considered the new standard time.
So, the big question is: what’s the big deal with daylight savings anyways? Personally, I never would have thought this hard about a change, that for the most part, I never even paid attention to. I guess I always disregarded the subtle side effects of the time change. Although, after doing some research on the repercussions of daylight savings, I found that our mental and physical health is severely impacted.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, “The human circadian system does not adjust to annual clock changes.” In their statement on permanent standard time, the NSF stated that they are in favor because sleep would be less disrupted and rather sleep health would be optimized. Keeping our circadian systems regulated is a big deal, and disruption to the system could increase the risk to overall health. In a study conducted at the University of Ferrara and the University of Florence, some risk factors include hypertension, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. Not to mention that another study found that Daylight savings increase the rates of heart disease, accidents, as well as mental and behavioral disorders.
While there is still much research needed to extensively cover the topic, these few findings highlight the importance of aligning our biological needs with our societal standards. However, there is debate over whether this change is effective in the lives of Americans. Some people argue that having more daylight after work and school is more pleasing than having the extra sunshine when they first wake up. Others argue that having no sunshine in the morning is a risk for their children, who would wait for their buses in complete darkness. With these differing sides, I could not help myself but ask a million more questions. Is the ratio of hours worked per day to hours left for life and leisure unrealistic in our society? Does the American school system align with the physiological needs of our children in order to optimize their growth and education? Is it better to be a morning person? Should the entire system of American life flip completely? Is this going to cause a tear in the space-time continuum?
In all seriousness, this act is extremely fascinating because it really opens up discussion about many underlying matters in our system. If the act does get passed, hopefully, American life will be changed for the better for the sake of mental and physical health.
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