Millions of Americans will get an extra hour of sleep, but will lose some afternoon sunlight when Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday. While some may wonder why we continue the century-old tradition of changing the clocks twice a year, state legislatures across the country are pushing to abolish it.
As of 2018, nearly all states have passed or entertained legislation to waive daylight saving time twice a year. Another 19 states have passed laws or resolutions supporting year-round daylight saving time Data from National Conference of State Legislatures.
But there’s a caveat: Nothing can change the 1960s-era law unless Congress blocks such action.
United States of America Daylight saving time has been observed since 1918, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Standard Time Act, the extra daylight hours were enacted during World War I under the premise that they could reduce energy costs. Later, nearly 50 years later, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 used the same beginning for states following daylight savings. and end date. The law means that states cannot use daylight savings year-round unless Congress first votes to change the federal law.
However, states can excuse themselves from changing clocks by observing standard time throughout the year. As a result, many parts of the country do not observe daylight saving time, including most of Hawaii, Arizona, and the US territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
The last half decade has seen a renewed push to prevent clocks from changing. In 2018, Florida passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would commit the state to permanent daylight savings if approved by federal law. At the federal level, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has proposed the National Daylight Savings Act, which would make daylight savings permanent year-round across the country, with exceptions for areas that do not currently observe daylight saving time. . The legislation passed the Senate unanimously in 2022, but stalled last session. Rubio reintroduced the legislation in March.
States that support permanent daylight saving time, such as Ohio, say the extra daylight helps reduce crime, car accidents and energy consumption, while allowing more time for outdoor sports.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is a medical association whose experts advocate for policies that promote sleep health. Tuesday, Academy Issued a statement calling for the US to eliminate daylight saving time altogetherStandard time better supports health and safety because it aligns with people’s natural circadian rhythms.
Undergoing a time shift raises a lot of concerns. After the “spring forward” time change, research shows that workplace injuries, car crash deaths, and the risk of heart attacks have increased. In a 2023 study, after a week of transition from the time change, people reported greater sleep dissatisfaction and higher rates of insomnia.
Daylight saving time will resume on March 10, 2024.
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