Why Eliminating Daylight Saving Time Is The Best Thing Ever, According To Experts

Twice a year, millions of Americans groan as they adjust their clocks for Daylight Saving Time (DST). What may seem like a simple task has profound implications for health, safety, and well-being. Experts like Michael Breus, Ph.D., widely known as "The Sleep Doctor," science journalist Lynne Peeples, sleep researcher Matthew Walker, Ph.D., as well as neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., and Samer Hatter, Ph.D. argue that it's time to ditch DST for good. 

This is especially interesting because President-elect Donald Trump has announced his support for ending daylight saving time altogether, signaling that change might be on the horizon.

Neuroscientists like Huberman and Samer Hattar, along with longevity expert Peter Attia, emphasize that DST wreaks havoc on our circadian rhythms—the internal clocks governing our sleep-wake cycles, mood, and metabolism. According to Huberman, the forced shift in daylight exposure during DST pushes our internal clocks later, exacerbating existing sleep issues, particularly for those with delayed sleep phases.

In his TedEd talk, Matthew Walker, a leading sleep scientist and author of Why We Sleep, calls DST a "global experiment" with dire consequences. He explains that even a one-hour loss of sleep can have immediate health impacts. The spring forward has the dubious honor of being one of the most dangerous days of the year. In the spring, heart attack rates1 increase by 24%, while the fall's extra hour of sleep leads to a 21% decrease.

Lynne Peeples, journalist and author of The Inner Clock: Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms, brings a broader societal lens to the discussion. In her appearance on the mindbodygreen podcast, she highlighted the physiological and societal disruptions caused by DST. Circadian clocks—tiny “timekeepers” in our bodies—regulate everything from metabolism to mood. DST, by shifting daylight hours later, throws these clocks out of sync, leading to increased risks of weight gain, heart disease, and mental health disorders.

The United States has a history of experimenting with Daylight Saving Time to address various challenges. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, the country adopted permanent DST in an attempt to conserve energy. However, the policy faced widespread public backlash, particularly from parents and workers who disliked dark winter mornings. The experiment lasted less than two years before the policy was reversed due to safety concerns, such as increased traffic accidents and challenges for schoolchildren commuting in the dark.

Fast forward to today, more than 60% of Americans3 express support for eliminating the biannual clock changes, with many preferring a consistent time year-round. Despite this widespread sentiment, federal legislation on the issue has stalled, leaving states unable to make significant changes independently without congressional approval.