Daylight saving time debate: Which side are you on?

Clocks will soon "fall back" as daylight saving time ends. Should the United States end this practice, which began in 1918? And which is better, standard time, or daylight saving time?

As daylight saving time nears its end, clocks across most of the United States are about to "fall back," reigniting the debate over the benefits of changing the clocks twice a year. Which is better: standard time or daylight saving time?

While Arizona and Hawaii stick to standard time year-round (with the exception of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, which observes daylight saving time), the rest of the country grapples with the pros and cons of each system. Here are five aspects of everyday life that are impacted by the clock change, which may influence where you stand.

Earlier sunrises, later sunsets

If the country stayed in standard time or daylight saving time year-round, what would it look like, and when could people expect to see the sun? The most notable differences would be around the winter solstice in late December and the summer solstice in late June.

Entertain the idea of living in Boston and being in standard time throughout the year, the time known for earlier sunrises. In December, sunrise would be around 7 a.m., which doesn't sound too out of the ordinary—but fast-forward to the Fourth of July, and the sunrise would be at 4:13 a.m.

On the flip side, if daylight saving time were the law of the land throughout the year, sunrise would be a bit later in the summer. But in the winter, the sun wouldn't rise in Boston until around 8 a.m., after some students are already at school and while the morning commute is well underway.

Hidden health dangers

The one-hour time difference may be inconsequential for some, but others certainly feel the shift, particularly those with preexisting physical and mental health conditions.

“The sleep disruption that results from changing the clocks twice a year can affect the amount of sleep we get and our ability to maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule,” Dr. Anite Shelgikar, Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Michigan, previously told AccuWeather. “Sleep disruption and poor sleep quality can worsen symptoms of many mental health conditions.”

Those pushing for a permanent switch to daylight saving time may have to answer for other health risks associated with the time shift. Research by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has shown that living on the western border of a time zone, similar conditions to a permanent DST, can “drastically weaken” individual immune systems and make populations more susceptible to ailments such as heart attacks and cancer.

A shift to year-round standard time would have its own health risk in the form of vitamin D deficiency. If standard time were to become permanent, less sun in the evening hours when people are commonly outside would reduce the amount of natural vitamin D they would receive from the sun.

Safety concerns

Later sunsets associated with daylight saving time have been connected to lower crime rates. In a study published in 2015, economists Jennifer Doleac and Nicholas Sanders analyzed data showing that during the daylight saving shift robberies decreased by around 7% overall and 27% during the evening hours.

However, in the days following the springtime shift when many people lose an hour of sleep, there has been a noticeable uptick in accidents on the road and at the workplace.

Research using U.S. Department of Labor and Mine Safety and Health Administration data showed that daylight saving time changes in March led to a 5.7% increase in workplace injuries. A Johns Hopkins and Stanford study on fatal car crashes showed that approximately five more deaths take place in accidents on the Monday following the daylight saving shift than on a typical Monday.

Economic influences

The practice of daylight saving time was first adopted by the United States in 1918 amid World War I in an effort to save energy and fuel. While conserving light and heat is no longer a significant economic concern, the time change does impact the economy.

Retail sales increase as consumers spend more time shopping in the brighter evenings, and businesses that rely on later sunsets prosper due to the extra sunlight. A report on the golf industry in 1986 found that one month of later sunsets could be worth up to $400 million due to the extended playing time in the evening -- which in 2025 dollars translates to more than $1 billion.

However, earlier sunsets could benefit other businesses, such as drive-in movie theaters and event planners who are scheduling nighttime festivities such as firework displays and drone shows.

Impacts on technology

Whichever way the debate swings, the least-impacted field may be the one of technology as many important devices automatically update when the clocks change.

Some complications can still occur, such as when using scheduling software or travel applications if the time change is not updated properly. Larger computer networks can also require extra work following changes to the daylight saving time laws. In 2007, Notre Dame's OIT spent approximately 200 hours adjusting central computer systems to recognize an extra month of daylight saving.

Final verdict?

Wherever you may fall in the debate, the arguments will last through at least one more daylight saving period, meaning those on both sides will have to endure the March time shift.

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