Trump’s Push to End Daylight Saving Time

What Happened?

On Friday, President-elect Trump announced on Truth Social that the Republican Party will seek to eliminate Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Trump described the practice as both ‘inconvenient’ and ‘very costly to our nation.’

While the returning president has made no shortage of bold claims regarding plans for his second term, his proposal to end DST, while polarizing, is not without precedent.

Roughly two-thirds of countries around the world do not observe DST. A March 2023 poll conducted by YouGov found that 62% of Americans wanted to end the practice, although there was little consensus on how to go about putting plans into action.

Why it Matters

Daylight Saving Time has long been a subject of debate. Not just for any perceived inconveniences, but for its broader impacts on public health and safety.

The potential risks are stressed more during March when clocks ‘spring forward.’ The simple one-hour shift disrupts sleep patterns and potentially offsets internal clocks. Furthermore, sleep deprivation caused by DST has been linked to increased feelings of depression, reduced focus, and a heightened sense of stress.

However, hazardous consequences extend far beyond people's mental well-being. A study conducted in February 2020 analyzed 20 years of data and found that there was a 6% rise in fatal car accidents the week following the springtime change.

This increase in car accident fatalities has been attributed to the combination of sleep loss and the disruption of set routines. This subsequently makes the roads more dangerous for those affected and unaffected by DST alike.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has also shared these concerns. They brought it to light in 2020 when they advocated for the U.S. to adopt a fixed, year-round time system universally agreed upon by all 50 states.

The AASM has stated that such a change would align far better with the human circadian rhythm, which would ultimately improve public health and safety.

The push to end Daylight Saving Time has far-reaching implications for everyone. Should the proposed change be adopted, a permanent time system could reduce the risks associated with the time change, including sleep deprivation and mental health troubles.

Commuters would face safer roads, and workers could experience better focus and productivity with no disruptions in their routines. Although opinions vary on whether or not the U.S. should adopt standard time or DST year-round, the science tends to lean toward standard time as the healthier of the two options.

How it Affects You

The AASM maintains its argument that standard time better aligns with our circadian rhythm and natural light cycles, which are imperative for proper sleep regulation and overall health.

While Trump has made some bold and polarizing claims about what he intends to accomplish during his second term, abolishing DST seems to have substantial support from Americans across the board. It also has the backing of science.

Whether this most recent push gains any traction remains to be seen.

But the conversation around DST reflects growing awareness of its costs, which are not just economical, but personal too. But at least for now, Americans will continue to grapple with the bi-annual clock changes, even as calls for reformation continue to get louder.