On November 5, 2023, we will “fall back,” reverting to standard time from the “spring forward” launched from last March. Observing Daylight Savings Time (DST) has been a law in our country since 1966, and we typically recognize these switches as changes to the amount of sleep and sunlight we receive. However, 1966 was many decades ago, and as the century, trends and current society have all changed, so has the impact of this time switch.
Back in 1883, time zones were established in North America mainly to help trains travel without colliding with one another on the tracks. Despite the initial effort, proper coordination of this was still a concern, and the idea of observing DST arose. The benefits of changing times became more evident in the following years, as the idea of DST also spread across the world to Germany in 1916, as a way to conserve the amount of fuel that was used during World War I. In 1966, the Department of Transportation created the Uniform Time Act, establishing the time changes we go through twice a year.
Now over a half a century later, the impacts of transitioning our times are questionable. Studies show that the end of DST in the spring “… can have a major impact on your alertness, mood, performance, health, and safety,” according to Kimberly A. Honn, Ph.D., assistant professor at Washington State University Spokane. Besides the shift in time, our evenings are brighter, which is good for our Vitamin D intake, but confusing to our melatonin production, therefore delaying our brain’s signal to fall asleep. The sudden switch to standard time in November brings its own issues. Studies have found that when we are exposed to more natural light, our bodies will eventually adjust to a regular schedule of staying awake during the day and sleeping at night. However, during the months of standard time, we use more artificial light which ruins this schedule, taking a toll on our physical and mental health. Additionally, the months of standard time are also a safety hazard for drivers, as earlier darkness creates an increased risk for driving mishaps, and studies have shown that car and deer collisions are fourteen times more frequent during the two hours after sunset, compared to the two hours prior, especially in October and November. Both times have their cons and the problems they bring work against each other. If we keep a permanent time schedule, these problems will eventually work themselves out, and our bodies will adjust to a complete, routine schedule.
There has been talk of making DST permanent, and the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act back in March to initiate this change, however, the House still has yet to have made any progress regarding this. If we stop falling back and springing forward, our consistent daily schedules would increase our well-being. We would adapt to the sun’s schedule better, and eliminate other safety dangers that come with our current time changes. While changing times twice a year may appear minor, it’s vital to our body’s function that we keep one schedule year-round.