Clocks change, but will attitudes? Daylight Saving Time debate ticks on

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla (CBS12) — As the clock ticks forward this Sunday for Daylight Saving Time, the long-standing debate over its relevance continues.

DST was signed into law in 1966, but almost 60 years later its intended purpose is fading.

While a bi-annual push of a clock hand may seem harmless, the data shows its effects ripple into the daily lives of many Americans.

A Colorado University study showed car crashes increase in March due to clocks springing forward, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) suggests it increases cardiovascular events, and worsens mood disorders.

Today, every state follows Daylight Saving Time except Arizona, Hawaii, and all U.S. territories; however, many states have tried to rid themselves of it.

Multiple senators and other members of Congress have attempted to pass the Sunshine Protection Act five times since 2018, with none being signed into law.

"Changing the clocks remains ridiculous and antiquated," said then-Senator Marco Rubio in a 2024 post to X. While it may seem antiquated now, the history of Daylight Saving Time reveals it was once seen as crucial.

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History

One common belief pins the idea on Ben Franklin. However, his 1784 letter published in the 'Journal de Paris' was intended to be satirical, and call out Parisians' perceived laziness, suggesting they wake up an hour earlier, according to the Franklin Institute.

The lesser-known origins are thanks to George Vernon Hudson, an astronomer and entomologist in New Zealand who proposed the change in time to increase daylight. William Willet led a similar crusade for time-change in England, however, neither Willet's nor Hudson's campaign for clock change gained momentum, according to the Associated Press.

It wasn't until Germany began implementing DST following World War I to save energy, that countries including the U.S. followed suit. The same countries used DST in WWII for the same energy saving reasons and it began to be referred to as 'war time.'

After the second World War ended, varying areas kept and ditched Daylight Saving Time, creating confusion, and difficulties for watch-wearers.

According to David Prerau's book, "Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time," at one point a 35-mile bus ride from Steubenville, Ohio to Moundsville, West Virginia, would require riders to change their watch seven times.

In 1966, the Uniform Time Act was passed, which allowed states to choose if they wanted or didn't want DST, but forced the decision to be mandated statewide.

During the 1970s Energy Crisis, the U.S. began using DST all year long, skipping the winter fall back of clocks for two years. The change was widely unpopular, according to Prerau. Since then, standardization on DST has been the norm despite its critics.

Health effects

Research advances over the past decade have suggested DST disrupts sleep schedules, the body's natural circadian rhythm, and broader physical effects.

According to Northwestern Medicine, between March and November, the body is exposed to less morning light and more evening, which can throw off a person's circadian rhythm and sleep homeostasis.

With drowsiness comes distraction.

Over the 22 years of data analyzed by the University of Colorado Boulder, 627 people died in fatal car accidents associated with the spring shift to Daylight Saving Time.

Northwestern Medicine says additional studies have suggested DST has long-term health effects on depression, slowed metabolism, weight gain, and cluster headaches.

While there are many ways to negate these problems, like exercising in the morning, getting sunlight in the morning, and aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep nightly, many would rather stop the clock change entirely.

While an extra hour in the morning may help sleep cycles, a Brookings Institute study found that an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day deters crime.

Another 2016 study found that an extra hour of sunlight might improve depression.

DST opponents say

When President Donald Trump was asked by a reporter on Thursday about potentially ending DST, he said, "It's something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way, a lot of people like the other way. It's very even. And usually I find when that's the case, what else can we do?"

President Trump made these statements just three months after posting on Truth Social that "Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation." And in Florida, this system of beliefs is echoed by officials.

The Sunshine Protection Act has been repeatedly pushed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who hails from Florida. The proposed act claims that time change is bad for human biology for the aforementioned reasons.

DST naysayers claim that the dark mornings prevent people from waking up, and jeopardize safety for children waiting at bus stops and walking to school, according to a Sunshine Protection Act Fact Sheet: Daylight Saving Time vs. Standard Time published by the AASM. The association also alleges that this disruption results in a condition known as “social jet lag,” which is associated with an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and depression.

As Trump's opinion has swayed on DST, tech billionaire Elon Musk took to X to poll the people writing:

The poll shows that Trump's theory of polarization permeates more than just the DST split, with even DST opponents at odds on how to set the clocks permanently.

The debate over DST is far from settled. However, a growing body of research highlights its adverse impacts on health, safety, and well-being, making the push to end DST more compelling than ever.

Yet, despite repeated legislative efforts to abolish it, the tradition endures; caught in the crossfire of conflicting studies and political opinions.

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