Jennifer Matlock

I Support Making Standard Time Permanent! Here are 10 reasons why. Every year, millions of Americans are forced to “spring forward” and “fall back,” but few stop to ask why. Daylight Saving Time (DST) disrupts our sleep, safety, and health twice a year without providing any proven benefits. It’s time to make Permanent Standard Time the law of the land. 1️⃣ Safety First: Who wants it to be dark when their children walk to school in the morning? That’s unsafe. And who wants sunlight pouring through their windows at 9 PM, making it harder for older Americans to fall asleep? Standard Time addresses both problems by aligning daylight with our daily lives. 2️⃣ We’ve Tried Permanent DST: It Failed: In 1974, the U.S. adopted year-round Daylight Saving Time. The result? Disaster. Children went to school in pitch darkness, safety concerns mounted, and public backlash became so strong that Congress reversed the decision within a year. 3️⃣ Standard Time Matches Human Biology: Standard Time follows the sun’s natural cycle. It aligns with our circadian rhythms, supporting better sleep and reducing the risks of obesity, depression, and cardiovascular disease. Our bodies were designed around the sun, not the clock. 4️⃣ Health and Safety Benefits: Studies show that switching to and from DST increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and car accidents. Keeping Standard Time year-round eliminates these dangerous transitions and helps keep Americans healthier and safer. 5️⃣ Proven Success Across the Map: Arizona, Hawaii, and all five U.S. territories already observe Permanent Standard Time. Most of Mexico also restored Permanent Standard Time in 2022. The rest of America should follow their lead. 6️⃣ Expert Consensus: More than 80 organizations, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Society for Research in Biological Rhythms, support Permanent Standard Time. When doctors, scientists, educators, and faith leaders agree, it’s time to listen. 7️⃣ Practical and Reliable: No more biannual clock changes. No missed meetings. No software errors. Permanent Standard Time makes scheduling, coordination, and business operations smoother and more predictable. 8️⃣ Better for Students and Families: Students benefit when their school schedules align with natural daylight. Standard Time supports morning alertness and better learning outcomes instead of groggy mornings in the darkness. 9️⃣ Safer Roads and Stronger Communities: Research has shown that car accidents increase immediately after DST transitions. Standard Time keeps sunrise closer to our daily activities, helping reduce drowsy driving and potentially lowering crime rates during dark morning hours. 🔟 Stability for Health and Happiness: Time changes disrupt sleep and increase stress and anxiety. Permanent Standard Time provides consistency and a foundation for healthier, happier lives. It’s simple: Standard Time is natural time. It’s time to stop changing the clocks and start restoring common sense.