Why daylight savings should be put to bed

As the clock ticks toward yet another biannual shift, should we pause and consider abolishing changing the clocks and restore a permanent Standard Time?

I believe so. And I’m not alone. As a co-author of the British Sleep Society’s new position paper on the topic, I advocate that we should consign Daylight Savings Time (DST), also known as British Summer Time (BST), to history.  

There’s ample evidence that not springing the clocks forward – and keep them at Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) all year round – is healthier, safer and brings economic benefit.

But before we get to that, some background on this twice-yearly temporal quirk might be handy.

A brief history of time

In the UK the clocks go forward by one hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March, and back by one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October.  DST is when the clocks go forward and GMT when the clocks go back. This arrangement was constituted in 1972 with the British Summer Time Act.

A common misconception in the UK is that DST was introduced to help farmers with their daily activities. However, it was first temporarily instituted by Germany and its allies during the First World War to save energy. The UK and others soon followed.

For years since, countries worldwide have engaged in discussions about whether to continue this practice or adopt permanent alternatives. In the UK, the conversation is no different. There are primary options on the table: either remain on DST year-round or revert to permanent Standard Time/GMT.

From a public health perspective, the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that abolishing DST and reinstating permanent GMT is the better choice.

Spring forward…

Our body clocks, which control our circadian rhythms (circa diem = about a day in Latin) drive the daily timing of our functions such as sleep, metabolism, and mood. The key to keeping these rhythms in sync is exposure to light, especially in the morning.

Morning light brings clocks and consequently our rhythms forward while light later in the evening delays them. Unfortunately, modern lifestyles—where we spend most of our time indoors and use artificial lighting and devices—tend to disrupt this balance, making it harder for us to fall asleep and wake up at the right times. Morning sunlight is crucial, therefore, to keep our body clocks running smoothly.

Morning light helps us initiate sleep early enough to wake up naturally. Exposure to light in the evening has the contrasting effect. This balance disruption affects more people with very early morning schedules, those with sleep disturbances and teenagers who are prone to body clock delay during this developmental stage.

The spring clock change, when we lose an hour of sleep, has the most noticeable impact. This sudden sleep loss affects health, performance, and safety for both children and adults, leading to lower productivity and increased accidents. While the risk to individuals may seem small, the widespread disruption affects millions, causing negative effects on public health and safety overall.

…Fall back

One position in the debate is the suggestion that instead of abolishing DST altogether, the UK should make it permanent, keeping clocks ahead by one hour year-round. Effectively, making the British summer (time) last all year.

However, as the hours of daylight change across the seasons, during winter the days will be shorter even on permanent DST. Under permanent DST, much of the UK, particularly the northern regions, would see sunrise times delayed until mid-morning in winter.

People living in Edinburgh, for example, will not see the sunrise until nearly 10 am, almost an hour later compared to those in London. This extended period of darkness in the morning would deprive people of the essential light exposure they need to regulate their circadian clocks.

By contrast, restoring permanent Standard Time would align our body clocks more closely to natural daylight patterns. Sunrises would occur earlier, particularly in the winter months, providing us with the critical morning light that we need to regulate our circadian rhythms.

Uniting with Ireland?

An additional consideration is the potential for time zone misalignment on both sides of the Irish border. Currently, both countries observe the same time changes, maintaining synchronized schedules. If the UK were to adopt permanent DST while Ireland remained on Standard Time, it would create a time zone divide across the island introducing significant economic and social implications for both countries.

Given these factors, the recommendation by the British Sleep Society is clear: the UK should abolish the twice-yearly clock changes and restore permanent Standard Time.

This would bring the UK into alignment with its geographical reality, improve public health, and avoid the complications that permanent DST would bring. Maintaining the status quo of clock changes is simply not aligned with what we now understand about sleep science and health. As we move forward, it’s time to question whether the tradition of changing the clocks twice a year still serves our best interests—or whether it’s a relic of the past that should be reconsidered.

_{Image credits: clock face – Joe Raedle/Getty Images; poster – David Pollack/Corbis via Getty Images; yawning – David Zach; NYC – Gary Hershorn/Getty Images}