Daylight Savings Time 2024:Latest Updates| Sleepsia

It is that time of the year when millions of Americans wind their watch hands, tap at their device, changing time to reflect a change in seasons.

The Sunshine Protection Act is the talk of the town. People want to know if the daylight savings time tradition will continue to go on, if they have to change clocks every year or if there will be a permanent daylight saving time throughout the year.

In this article, we'll break down the latest updates and news on daylight savings time, explore why we have DST in the first place, know more about the Sunshine Protection Act, its status and what is the public opinion on DST, and also shed light on state-level initiatives.

What Is the Sunshine Protection Act?

The Sunshine Protection Act is a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Marco Rubio of Florida in March. It has been introduced multiple times in both the Senate and the House of Representatives but there is no recent activity on the bill.

The Sunshine Protection Act (S. 623) aims to establish daylight saving time (DST) permanent in .U.S. That means there will be no need to change clocks forward and backward in the spring and fall. We will enjoy a full year of DST, instead of only eight months.

Those who favor the bill believe that permanent DST would be very beneficial for everybody as it will save energy, increase productivity and improve public health and safety. However, opponents raise concerns about potential drawbacks, such as disruptions to sleep patterns, adverse effects on certain industries, and challenges in coordinating timekeeping with neighboring states or countries.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is in favor of a national fixed time throughout the year in the United States in place of the biannual time changes that occur in November and March. But standard time offers unique advantages for public health and safety and best suits human circadian biology, as stated in an AASM daylight saving time position statement released in 2020.

The Sunshine Protection Act is yet to be enacted into law, it has been introduced in congress in recent years again and again but there is no recent activity on the bill.

What is the Status of the Sunshine Protection Act?

The Sunshine Protection Act has no fresh legislative action from the US Congress so far in 2024. There has been no progress since the bill was referred to the House and Senate committees in March 2023.

More than two dozen states are involved in the debate but there are no enact policy changes. The legislation needs to be signed by the president and approved by a majority of the House and Senate in order to become law.

The Sunshine Protection Act passed the Senate in March 2022 through an uncommon procedure known as unanimous consent.

Although there was no official vote, but no senator opposed the bill when it was introduced. The Sunshine Protection Bill never made it to the committee and was not passed into law.

When does daylight savings time start and end?

First things first, what exactly is daylight saving time?

In simple words, it's a practice where we adjust our clocks to make better use of daylight during the warmer months. In the spring, we "spring forward," moving our clocks forward by one hour, and in the fall, we "fall back," moving them back by one hour.

Daylight saving time in the U.S. starts on the second Sunday of March, moving clocks forward and ends on the first Sunday of November, moving clocks back.

In 2024 Daylight saving time starts: This year, clocks moved forward by an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10.

In 2024 Daylight saving time ends: This year, the clocks are moved back by one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday. March 3.

Americans get an extra hour of daylight in the evening during the warmer months, when the clock reverses in the fall.

It's important to note these dates may vary in other countries or regions that observe daylight saving time, so it's always a good idea to double-check local regulations if you're in a different location.

Do Americans lose an hour of sleep when we "spring forward"?

When we "spring forward" during daylight savings time (DST), we lose an hour of sleep. For instance if you go to bed at 10:00 p.m. on the night of the time change, and you normally wake up at 7:00 a.m.

Now, because 2:00 a.m. will become 3:00 a.m., you'll effectively lose one hour of sleep as the morning will arrive an hour earlier.

It means waking up at, say, 7 a.m. Sunday morning will feel more like 6 a.m.

Why do we have daylight savings time?

There are different stories behind Daylight savings time and the reasons why it is implemented in the beginning.

It is said that farmers started the practice of daylight saving time (DST) to get more daylight hours but they were the ones who opposed daylight saving time when it was adopted. Benjamin Franklin has also been considered as the founder of daylight savings time based on a satirical essay he wrote in 1784.

As CBS News previously reported, While the concept of DST can be traced back centuries, it gained traction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first large-scale implementation of DST was during World War I. Germany adopted DST in 1916, followed by other European nations and the United States. The main reason was to save fuel by exceeding the daylight hours for industrial production and military activities.

As World War I came to an end, many countries abandoned DST. But again during World War II, the country observed DST all year. Congress attempted to implement daylight savings time (DST) again in 1974 to save energy, but that effort failed.

With the passage of the Uniform Time Act in 1966, Daylight savings time was again brought into the spotlight, in the United States. This legislation created the system that we know today., standardizing the start and end dates for DST across the country, although states were given the option to exempt themselves from observing DST.

Over the years, the start and end dates of DST have been adjusted multiple times in response to changing social and economic conditions.

Today, DST is observed in many countries around the world, although the start and end dates vary depending on location and regional policies. Some countries have opted not to observe DST at all, while others have experimented with it on and off over the years.

Pros of Daylight Savings Time

Cons of Daylight Savings Time

Promote Public Safety

Longer daylight hours promote public safety as there will be lower car accident rates and chances of pedestrians being hit by a car because of darkness

It is reported that robberies decreased by roughly 7% overall and 27% in the overnight hours following the daylight savings time.

According to the researchers, "Street crime occurs around 5 to 8 PM in the evening, and light during typical high-crime hours makes it difficult to initiate a crime and also identify wrongdoers."

Furthermore, daylight in the evening makes it safer for runners, individuals walking their dogs after work, and youngsters playing outside unsupervised because car drivers can see them better.

Negative Consequences for Health

Changing sleep habits, even by one hour, disrupts a person's natural circadian rhythms and has a severe impact on health. According to one study, the risk of a heart attack increases by 10% on Monday and Tuesday following the spring time shift.

Researchers discovered an increase in cluster headaches (sudden and intense headaches) following the fall time shift.

Male suicide rates in Australia increased in the weeks following the spring DST time change, compared to the weeks following the fall return to standard time.

DST raises the chance of a fatal car collision by 5-6.5%, resulting in over 30 additional deaths per year.

Good for Economy Growth

Later daylight means more people will go shopping after work, which means an increase in retail sales, and more people driving, increasing petrol and snack purchases for eight months of the year (the DST period).

According to the golf business, one month of DST was worth $200 to $400 million since it allowed golfers to play later into the evening. The BBQ business thinks that one month of DST increases profits by $150 million. In 2007, an estimated $59 million was saved because fewer robberies occurred as the sun rose later.

Chambers of Commerce generally favor Daylight Savings Time as it improves consumer spending, which boosts the economy.

Decreased Productivity

The week following the spring Daylight Saving Time transition sees an upsurge in "cyber-loafing" (workers spending time on the internet) due to fatigue. The Monday following the spring time change is called "Sleepy Monday," as it is one of the most sleep-deprived days of the year.

Till Roenneberg, a German chronobiologist who studies the body's relationship with light and dark, observes that the human circadian clock does not adjust to DST, and as a result, "the majority of the population has drastically decreased productivity, decreased quality of life, increased susceptibility to illness, and is simply tired."

Promotes Active Lifestyles

When there is still light later in the evening, people are more likely to engage in outdoor activities after work.

According to Hendrik Wolff, an Associate Professor of Economics at Simon Fraser University, DST has led to increased outside activity and decreased indoor TV watching. An additional 3% of participants engaged in outdoor activities who would otherwise have stayed indoors.

DST is Expensive

According to economist William F. Shughart II of Utah State University, the simple act of changing clocks costs Americans $1.7 billion in lost opportunity cost based on average hourly wages, implying that the ten or so minutes spent moving clocks, watches, and devices forward and backward could have been spent on something more productive.

According to the Air Transport Association, DST cost the airline industry $147 million in 2007 due to confusing time schedules with nations that did not participate in the time shift.

When does daylight savings time end permanently?

Despite the Sunshine Protection Act being unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate in 2022, there hasn't been a definitive decision to end daylight saving time (DST) permanently.

While there have been discussions on the bill and even bills introduced in Congress to make DST permanent, but no such legislation has been enacted into law.

The bill has not been signed by President Joe Biden, citing there are other priorities that needed to be addressed before tackling DST, according to The Hill.

Therefore, as of now, there isn't a specific date or timeline for when daylight saving time might end permanently in the United States.

Which states are getting rid of daylight savings time?

As of July 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported that The state of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation is the only exception in Arizona. Similar to Arizona, Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time. It remains on Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) throughout the year.

American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands also do not participate in Daylight Savings Time (DST).

It is important to note that while many states expressed disinterest in participating in DST, the final decision depends on legislative action at both the state and federal levels.

Also, to implement any changes to DST, approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation is mandatory. The U.S. Department of Transportation oversees time zones and DST observance in the United States.

Conclusion

The debate on daylight saving time will continue in 2024. While legislative efforts like the Sunshine Protection Act aim to address the issue at the federal level, still there are challenges in achieving consensus on the best approach. Public opinion, scientific research, and policy considerations all play crucial roles in shaping the future of daylight saving time in the United States.

References-

S.582 – Sunshine Protection Act of 2023. (n.d.)., Retrieved 7 September 2023, from
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/582

Bink, A. (24 January 2024). Daylight saving time: How long until the clocks change, and could it be the last time? The Hill., Retrieved February 29, 2024, from
https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4428938-daylight-saving-time-how-long-until-the-clocks-change-and-could-it-be-the-last-time/

Rishi, M. A., Ahmed, O., Barrantes Perez, J. H., Berneking, M., Dombrowsky, J., Flynn-Evans, E. E., Santiago, V., Sullivan, S. S., Upender, R., Yuen, K., Abbasi-Feinberg, F., Aurora, R. N., Carden, K. A., Kirsch, D. B., Kristo, D. A., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Olson, E. J., Ramar, K., Rosen, C. L., … Gurubhagavatula, I. (2020). Daylight saving time: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 16(10), 1781–1784.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32844740/

Daylight Saving Time | State Legislation. (2023, September 22). National Conference of State Legislatures., Retrieved February 29, 2024, from
https://www.ncsl.org/transportation/daylight-saving-time-state-legislation

Moses, C. (2024, February 21). Oregon tries and fails to eliminate daylight saving time, for now. New York Times., Retrieved February 29, 2004, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/us/oregon-daylight-saving-time.html

American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2024, February 21). Sleep experts call for end of seasonal time changes ahead of ‘springing forward’., Retrieved February 29, 2024, from
https://aasm.org/sleep-experts-call-for-end-of-seasonal-time-changes-ahead-of-springing-forward/