Why the Debate Over Daylight Saving Time Rages On
It’s time to change our clocks, again. These maps reveal why making daylight saving time permanent is more controversial than it seems.
A map showing how often the sun will rise before 7 a.m. across the U.S. under permanent daylight saving time. Darker shades indicate fewer days out of the year.
Source: Andy Woodruff
Starting this Sunday, most Americans will wake up to darker mornings in exchange for later sunsets as clocks “spring forward” an hour to daylight saving time. In November, clocks will fall back again. Every year like clockwork, these impending disruptions to our sleep-wake cycle have many people questioning the necessity of the twice-a-year time change.
Experts warn that the back-and-forth adjustment wreaks havoc on our bodies, leading to spikes in traffic crashes the week after the change, and a litany of health issues linked to shifts in our circadian rhythms, including heart disease, obesity and mental disorder.