On the morning of Nov. 3, millions of Americans moved their clocks back one hour to mark the change back to Standard Time from Daylight Savings Time (DST). The shifting clock schedule has become increasingly unpopular in recent years for economic and health reasons.
Shifting clock schedules disrupt our internal body clocks, negatively impacting sleep and overall health. When we “spring forward,” the sudden loss of an hour of sleep affects our circadian rhythms, which are finely tuned to natural light and darkness. This shift makes it harder to fall asleep and wake up, often resulting in sleep deprivation.
The health implications of shifting extend beyond a few sleepy mornings. Studies show that the shift is linked to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes and accidents. During the first few days of DST, hospitals report a spike in heart attack cases, likely due to the stress caused by sleep deprivation and the disruption of circadian rhythms.
The economic arguments against the transitory system mostly hinge on the idea that the biannual adjustments increase workplace accidents and decrease worker productivity.
DST has always been an economic tool. It has failed to cut down on energy costs repeatedly throughout U.S. history. There is no economic benefit in keeping the back-and-forth system according to economist Kurt Rankin, who told CBS News that a permanent switch to summer time could benefit the restaurant industry, which struggled to recover from the pandemic.
Many countries have decided to do away with turning their clocks back, citing the interruptions in the natural sleep-wake cycle, health concerns and increased energy use, among others. In 2020, researchers from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine used the term “social jet lag” to explain the detriment of changing sleep cycles that comes with daylight savings. According to the study, “[It] is, therefore, the position of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that these seasonal time changes should be abolished in favor of a fixed, national, year-round standard time.”
