Clocks in most of the U.S. will skip ahead an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, marking the start of daylight saving time and creating a 23-hour day that disrupts sleep schedules and plunges early-morning activities into darkness.
Key Takeaways
The U.S. will observe daylight saving time this weekend, prompting renewed debate over its permanence. Most Americans prefer permanent daylight saving time, but health experts advocate for standard time due to circadian rhythm benefits.
- Clocks will skip ahead an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday for most of the U.S.
- Polls show most people dislike changing clocks twice a year
- 19 states have adopted laws calling for permanent daylight saving time, but Congress must pass a law to allow this
- Health experts argue that permanent standard time is better for health and safety
- Only Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii currently opt out of daylight saving time
Despite widespread discontent with the biannual clock changes, political efforts to alter the system have stalled due to divided opinions on its potential impacts. A recent AP-NORC poll found that only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults favor the current system of changing clocks twice a year.
The debate centers around two main options: making daylight saving time permanent, which would result in later sunrises during winter months, or switching to standard time year-round, leading to very early sunrises in summer.
Since 2018, 19 states have adopted laws calling for a move to permanent daylight saving time. However, Congress must pass a law to allow states to make this change. The U.S. Senate passed such a bill in 2022, but a similar House bill has not been brought to a vote.
Health experts argue that permanent standard time would be better for health and safety, as morning light is crucial for setting circadian rhythms. They point to increased risks of fatal vehicle crashes, heart attacks, and strokes in the days following the clock change.
Only Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii currently opt out of daylight saving time. In recent years, several states have considered bills to switch to permanent standard time, often with caveats that the change would only take effect if neighboring states also made the move.
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