This petition holds deep significance for me and countless others who battle Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or experience a decline in mood during the darker fall and winter months.

Each time we "spring forward" or "fall back," the abrupt shift disrupts our body's natural rhythms, interfering with sleep patterns and taking a toll on mental health. The impact is widespread, affecting well-being in ways that go beyond just adjusting the clocks.

By making Daylight Savings Time permanent, we can help to 'lock the clock', and maintain consistent daylight hours throughout the entire year, thereby potentially easing the symptoms of SAD and similar conditions. 

Experts have uncovered the answer to why this affects so many people. Biochemist, and ThisWorks CEO Anna Persaud, along with Liz Brown, founder of 'Sleeping Lucid', break down what life would be like without DST.  What’s more, is daylight saving time still a practice worth keeping? According to Persaud, maybe not, as “even a one-hour daylight saving misalignment can negatively impact physiological processes, resulting in disruptive symptoms such as poor sleep and reduced cognitive functioning.”

For years, over 70 countries have followed the tradition of daylight saving time, setting their clocks forward in March and back in November. But have you ever stopped to wonder—what would happen if there was no more daylight saving time and if it disappeared for good?

What would happen if there was no more daylight saving time?

We all know that the day we spring forward into daylight saving time is one of the most unpleasant days of the spring season. Losing an hour of sleep overnight—what could be worse? Let's learn what would happen if there was no more daylight saving time and common reasons why people want to get rid of the practice for good.

Better sleep

Whether you’re changing the clock forward or backward, it can have a negative impact on a person’s circadian rhythm. It can take five to seven days for your body to adjust to the new time schedule, reports the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the disruption in sleep can lead to even bigger health issues.

Reduced risk of heart issues

Research has found that the spring DST changes are associated with a 24% increase in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) events on the Monday following the change and that switching our clocks may increase the risk of heart attacks. While the research hasn’t indicated why this may be, those who experienced an increased risk were mostly people who were already predisposed to experiencing heart issues. However, research also shows that heart attacks decrease by 21% the week DST ends in the fall. Still, if more states got rid of daylight saving time, it’s possible that more lives could be saved overall.

Reduced risk of stroke

Similarly, research has found an increase in hospitalizations for stroke in the two days following the DST change, with the overall rate of ischemic stroke being 8% higher in those days than at any other time of the year. The American Academy of Neurology speculates this may be because of the disruption in circadian rhythms caused by DST, as previous studies have shown that can play a part in increasing a person’s risk of stroke.

Reduced costs

“A major con that comes with DST is that it’s very costly for companies, since business hours and operations need to adjust every spring,” says Brown. In fact, experts estimate the biannual time change costs the United States around $430 million every year. The increase in heart attacks and workplace injuries, plus lowered productivity, are all accounted for in the total cost.

Fewer auto accidents

The changing of the clocks has also been associated with an increase in fatal auto accidents, particularly on the Monday following the spring shift. Experts theorize that these auto accidents occur because drivers are tired from losing the hour of sleep after the spring change. If there was no more daylight saving time, the number of fatal accidents could be reduced.

Lower crime rates

One other consideration to keep in mind with DST is how it impacts crime levels. Research has found that by extending evening daylight hours, as we do in the spring, crime rates actually go down, with robberies being reduced by 7% from the day before, and overall crime going down by 27% in the additional evening hour of sunlight gained on that day. On the flip side, another study found that with the hour of daylight lost in the fall, assault rates went up by 3% on the Monday following the time change.

CREDITS - Information included in this petition are credited from an article published in the Reader's Digest written by Leah Campbell on Feb. 10, 2025. Sources: Anna Persaud, PhD, biochemist and CEO of This Works; email interview, Feb. 23, 2024 Liz Brown, founder of Sleeping Lucid Sleep Medicine: “Changes in ischemic stroke occurrence following daylight saving time transitions”

American Academy of Neurology: “Does Daylight Saving Time Increase Risk of Stroke?”

Sleep Medicine: “Fatal Accidents Following Changes in Daylight Savings Time: The American Experience”

Journal of Experimental Criminology: “Aggression and sleep: a daylight saving time natural experiment on the effect of mild sleep loss and gain on assaults”

National Conference of State Legislatures: “Daylight Saving Time | State Legislation”

American Academy of Sleep Medicine: “New position statement supports permanent standard time”

About the experts

Anna Persaud, PhD, is a biochemist and the CEO of This Works, an award-winning line of sleep, skin and body-care solutions.                              Liz Brown is the founder of Sleeping Lucid. She reviews mattresses, pillows, sheets and more, while keeping readers informed about the latest sleeping trends for humans and animals alike.

Let's put an end to this cycle that negatively impacts our mental health and sleep patterns. Lend your voice to this cause and help us make Daylight Savings Time permanent!! 

Sign this petition so our wonderful President Trump can make the change!!