DST Approaches and the Debates Continue

This weekend, Americans will have to change their clocks forward as Daylight Savings Time (DST) begins. With amounting medical evidence arguing against benefits of DST, a congressional panel met on Wednesday and debated on whether to end DST. Most agreed that it was indeed, about time to end DST.

Each year, most Americans wake up during a darker part of the day so darkness falls later in the day, but more than 40 states are considering changes to end the shift, and as such, the federal government is equally considering whether to make DST permanent instead.

Health groups continue to argue against shifting, as DST is often associated with increased fatigue and higher automobile accidents, as well as cardiac problems and other public safety risks. Those most vulnerable to time shifts are essential workers and students, who have to wake up in dark hours just to commute.

What is at debate, is which time to adopt: standard or daylight savings time. Sleep experts argue that standard time is what the body adjusts to based on exposure to light, while daylight savings time is like living in the wrong time zone as it throws off the body’s natural response to light, which can cause issues to the circadian rhythm, as well as releasing hormones such as cortisol.

Retail industry group wants to preserve the current policy since people are more likely to shop during the extra daylight hours, and saying that some of the health fears are exaggerated.

Given the tight deadline, it might be nice to see Congress actually solve this matter before long, but this has been an ongoing thing for a while.

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