We the undersigned firmly and respectfully call the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to opt out of Daylight Savings Time.

Daylight Savings Time was originally instituted as a misguided attempt to save power—it hasn’t. Contrary to popular rumor, we don’t do it for farmers—crops and animals don’t care what the clock says. And we don’t do it for school children—under DST our kids wait for school buses in the dark.

Shifting one hour forward every year DOES:

• Increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, medical errors, car accidents, and hospital admissions
• Exacerbate chronic sleep deficiency Americans already experience
• Correlate with increased symptoms of depression

DST is more than a semiannual inconvenience. It is an issue of public health. So what can we do? 

Our best option is to stick with Standard Time year round. 

Choosing Standard Time allows us to legally resolve this issue at the state level—no federal input required. Like Arizona, Hawaii, and multiple US territories, we can opt out of DST at the state level without needing action from the US congress. Furthermore, sleep experts including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend returning to permanent Standard Time over seasonal or permanent DST because morning light is more important for circadian rhythms than evening light and is also important for people with SAD (seasonal depression). 

Under permanent DST, the sun would not rise until 8:30 am during the winter throughout most of Pennsylvania, and switching to permanent DST would require approval from the US Congress. On the other hand, permanent Standard Time is attainable and best for our physical and mental health.

Opting out of Daylight Savings Time and returning to permanent Standard Time is an achievable bipartisan win for the PA House of Representatives that will benefit the health and happiness of all Pennsylvanians. Please sign and share if you’re #DoneWithDST