Student Opinion – We Should Return To Observing Standard Time

For as long as we can remember, the phrases “springing forward” and ”falling back,” refer to changes in time, – standard time occurring in the fall and daylight saving time referring to the spring. This biannual tradition and task may soon come to an end. Although there are several who would argue that this is a necessary part of life, others don’t accept the time change. 

We should not abide by daylight saving time but should stick with the standard time. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, daylight saving time started in Germany during World War I after being proposed by New Zealand scientist George Hudson a few decades previously. It has since been accepted by many countries, while furthermore having several variations and different start dates. The United States Senate has recently approved a bill to eliminate the need for changing clocks twice a year.

Reuters explains that this bill would end the twice yearly time change, and daylight saving time would stay consistent year long. In a unanimous decision by the Senate, the bill awaits approval in the House. This bill has the right intentions; however, daylight saving time is not the answer. 

There is a valid argument in support of daylight saving time. During standard time, it is dark before students get on the bus in the morning. Plus, Virginia Beach and Indianapolis fall in the same time zone, the sun will set more than half an hour later in the western part of the zone.  Summer months stay lighter for longer, therefore less artificial light is used. However, the cons far outweigh the pros of daylight saving time,  and we must ask at what cost are we willing to sacrifice for them?

Save Standard Time’s website shows that due to the effects of daylight saving time, the week after the clocks are changed, healthy sleep habits and efficiency in jobs across the country take a serious blow, which in turn hurts the productivity of employers and companies. Additionally, sleep is extremely important to not only physical health but both emotional and mental health as well.

According to Britannica’s ProCon.org, “Changing sleep patterns, even by one hour, goes against a person’s natural circadian rhythm and has negative consequences for health.”

The National Library of Medicine explains that safety is a significant factor for not just employees but for people in general. Due to the natural sunlight changes in visibility that appears unnatural to us, accidents are more prone to happen in DST. Students and early commuters are those who appear to lead these statistics outlined in the National Library of Medicine. 

Another negative is the amount of money lost every year due to daylight saving time, which according to Britannica, is estimated to be about $1.7 billion yearly. This is typically seen the most with productivity, however all of this information still enforces the argument of how daylight saving time arises with an expense. Damages to public and private property and healthcare issues of American citizens as a result of daylight saving time rounds up to over $434 million according to ProCon.org.

“When people are tired, as they are after experiencing the disruption caused by DST, they tend to have trouble focusing and waste working time online to pass the day,” According to Dallas Sleep blog run by the Dallas Center for Sleep Disorders. “The effects on Americans focus and concentration also increases the frequency of mistakes at work, decreased productivity, and increased absenteeism.”

The recently approved bill is a step in the right direction as it would eliminate the twice a year time change, but we should still return back to standard time.   

Marks is an opinion writer.