Standard Versus Daylight Time
Researchers Warn That Permanent Daylight Time Poses Serious Risks To Human Health
Anonymous
As several western Canadian jurisdictions prepare to keep daylight saving time year-round, a new analysis by sleep, mental-health and economic researchers argues that ending clock changes should be paired with permanent standard time instead. The researchers say standard time better aligns morning light with the body’s circadian clock, while permanent daylight time would mean darker winter mornings that can disrupt sleep and alertness; chronic sleep disruption may contribute to health problems. Permanent daylight time would preserve brighter evenings, which supporters see as beneficial for recreation and social and economic activity, but the analysis concludes the health evidence favors standard time.
Key Points
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Mistlberger describes the mismatch caused by darker winter mornings as “social jet lag”: daily life and social schedules no longer line up with a person’s biological clock.
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The article reports that while a brief period of sleep deprivation may be made up with a long sleep, chronic disruption may be associated with metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and—according to population studies—higher rates of some cancers and mood disorders.
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British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba announced they would adopt permanent year-round daylight time, even as the researchers argue for permanent standard time.
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The analysis was led by researchers from the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and Vancouver Coastal Health.
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The analysis explains that morning light advances and stabilizes the circadian system, while evening light delays it—one reason permanent daylight time’s later sunrise and brighter evenings may shift the body clock later.
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