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2w ago

Permanent Time Policies Linked to Fewer Obesity and Stroke Cases, Stanford Study Finds

A Stanford PNAS model projects sizable population-level reductions in disease if biannual clock changes stop in favor of a single year‑round time.

Dan LaMoore works on a Seth Thomas Post Clock at Electric Time Company on Oct. 23, 2020, in Medfield, Mass. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, when clocks are set back one hour.
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Overview

  • Modeling estimates suggest permanent standard time could correspond with about 2.6 million fewer U.S. obesity cases and 300,000 fewer strokes, with permanent daylight saving time associated with smaller yet substantial reductions of roughly 1.7 million and 220,000, respectively.
  • The analysis ties health differences to circadian disruption from shifting light exposure across time policies and notes limitations, including unmodeled factors like weather and real-world behavior, meaning the results are not proof of causation.
  • Short-term risks linked to the spring clock change have been documented in prior studies, including spikes in heart attacks, fatal crashes, and workplace injuries.
  • Major medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, support ending seasonal shifts in favor of permanent standard time.
  • Policy remains unsettled as the Senate-passed Sunshine Protection Act awaits House action, with about 20 states indicating they would adopt permanent daylight saving time if federal law permits, while Australia is set to move clocks forward on October 5 and most countries globally do not change clocks.