Should we ditch daylight savings?

As we fall back to standard time, experts say it’s where we should stay. Even though we’re gaining an hour of early morning sunlight, the annual clock shift has experts arguing we should stick to standard time for the sake of our health, the Washington Post reports. Daylight saving time can disrupt our body’s natural rhythms in ways that standard time does not.

Saving an hour every summer may be hurting our health: Daylight saving time throws our bodies out of sync by pushing off daybreak and extending evening light. This shift makes it harder for us to wake up and fall asleep, and over time, it can lead to what experts call “ circadian misalignment.” When our internal clocks don't match the natural light-dark cycle, it can disrupt sleep and hormone regulation, increasing risks for heart disease, strokes, obesity, diabetes, mood disorders, and seasonal depression.

The sun is our natural alarm clock: Our bodies depend on sunlight in the morning to reset our circadian rhythms, preparing us for the day and regulating sleep-wake cycles. But daylight saving time, especially if it were to become permanent, would mean darker mornings during the winter months, depriving our bodies of this natural “ reset ” signal. Over time, this misalignment can cause a chronic lag in our internal clocks.

Health impacts: Studies show that right after the spring shift, rates of heart attacks and accidents rise as our sleep cycles are thrown off. Missing out on morning light also delays melatonin production, making restful sleep harder to come by. Over time, the sleep disruption adds up, creating a debt that affects focus, mood, and one’s long-term health.

Why do we do it? Daylight saving time was originally introduced during WWI in Germany as a way to save energy by extending evening daylight. The big question is: Does it still save energy? Newer studies say probably not. In fact, the state of Indiana saw a USD 7 mn spike in annual electricity costs after adopting daylight saving time in 2006, and productivity dips after each spring shift. Still, some research shows that longer evening light may reduce crime rates and get people moving outdoors more often — though it depends on the climate.