Summary

Ditch Daylight Saving Time (fast time) and restore permanent Standard Time (natural time), for the health, mood, safety, education, and economy of schoolchildren, commuters, farmers, construction workers, and more!

Permanent Standard Time alone can end clock change quickly, safely, and fairly, as most people wish.1 It can do so without delaying sunrise, for well-being and prosperity. Permanent Standard Time has been observed for decades in Arizona, Hawaii, all five US territories, and most nations. Most of Mexico restored permanent Standard Time in late 2022,2 and more American states now have permanent Standard Time bills than ever before. Permanent Standard Time would protect start times for schoolchildren and essential workers (farmers, police, firefighters, commercial drivers, transit operators, healthcare personnel, teachers, and more) by letting most sleep naturally past sunrise most days.3456 Its benefits to circadian health would improve immunity, longevity, mood, alertness, and performance in school, sports, and work. It can prevent traffic deaths, lower crime, and reduce chronic illnesses.789 Standard Time is the honest and natural clock, set to the sun (also known for this reason as God’s time), which balances morning and evening light fairly.

Some might consider permanent DST, but history and science show this is worse than biannual clock change. Permanent DST would delay sunrise past 8am (when most school/work begins)1011 more than three months in most states, and later even than 8:45am for a week in most states. It increased deaths and injuries when last attempted in the US.1213 It would force constituents to wake an hour early relative to solar time every weekday all winter. Americans rejected permanent DST in 1974, and it failed in several other years and places.12141516 It would deprive morning light needed by farmers and construction workers.5 It would revert benefits of starting school later.46 It would delay radio broadcasts of morning news until most people have begun work.17 It would increase need for morning heat and evening air conditioning in homes.18 It would disrupt worship for those who pray at sunrise.19 Moving clocks to DST acutely deprives sleep; leaving clocks on DST chronically deprives sleep. DST’s delayed sunrise significantly increases accidents, disease, and healthcare costs. It significantly decreases learning, productivity, and earnings.2021222324 Let those who prefer DST wake themselves early.

Scores of organizations and hundreds of researchers, physicians, teachers, parents, religious leaders, and journalists on the right and left oppose DST and endorse permanent Standard Time. Among these are the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms,9 Sleep Research Society,25 National Sleep Foundation,26 American Academy of Sleep Medicine,7 American College of Chest Physicians,7 National Safety Council,7 National PTA,7 editorial boards of Bloomberg,27 The Star Tribune,28 The Oregonian,29 The Sun Sentinel,30 writers from Cato,31 The Daily Wire,32 Breaking Points,33 and many others.

Please hear the nonpartisan consensus of history, science, and common sense. Save time, money, and lives. Make clocks honest again! Let’s ditch DST and restore permanent Standard Time.

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• Public Health
• Public Safety
• Start Times for School & Work
• Economy & Wages
• Energy & Environment
• Religious Freedom
• Special-Interest Lobbies
• Public Opinion
• Learn from History
• Quickest & Simplest Solution

Works Cited