Many countries adopt Daylight Saving Time (DST), which moves clocks forward one hour in March to allow for more daylight hours in the spring and summer. The United States is preparing to return to standard time on Sunday, November 2, as all states except two (excluding the Navajo Nation), Hawaii and Arizona, have implemented DST.
However, not everyone is happy with this routine change, with a recent survey showing that 54% of Americans and 42% of Brits want DST to be completely abolished.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) supports a permanent standard time. This is because it is more consistent with your body’s circadian rhythm. Because light exposure regulates circadian rhythms, a mismatch between the body’s internal clock and the environment can lead to problems such as decreased sleep, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and decreased immune function, AASM representatives said in a position statement.
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Last month, we reported on a study predicting that abandoning daylight saving time and permanently maintaining standard time could prevent more than 2 million cases of obesity and about 300,000 strokes annually in the United States by better matching circadian rhythms with the environment.
However, some suggest there are benefits to maintaining DST. Although the recent study has not yet been peer-reviewed, it reviewed 157 studies from 36 countries on the association between daylight saving time and health outcomes and found evidence that summer deaths and road crashes are reduced.
So, if it were up to you, would you give up daylight saving time? Take our survey and let us know what you think about our policies in the comments below. If I choose “undecided”, what should I persuade in either case?
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