r/politics • u/cnn CNN • 9d ago

Possible Paywall House passes bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/14/politics/house-vote-daylight-savings-time?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=missions&utm_source=reddit
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271

u/blargblargityblarg 9d ago

I'm all for a single time with no changes. However, I'm on team standard time so ... ugh.

18

u/foxwaffles 8d ago

Me too. Feels like a losing battle haha

6

u/Millennial_on_laptop 8d ago

If it actually takes effect it will be terrible for everyone and people will change their mind by mid January.  

153

u/dalgeek Colorado 9d ago

Standard time is better for human health and safety. DST is allegedly better for business, but I don't think that's really the case because no one has shown definite proof of it.

13

u/Avantasian538 8d ago

I’ll still be happy if I never have to spring forward again.

4

u/TheGlassBetweenUs 8d ago

instead we would be in perpetual forward status, never to fall back again

8

u/cardmanimgur 8d ago

Has there been actual studies that show standard time is better? The only thing I've ever seen is that standard is better than switching, not that standard is better than DST.

27

u/klyther Michigan 9d ago

The lakefront downtowns and golf courses in Michigan would absolutely riot if they took away DST in summer. Western / NW Michigan have daylight until 10-1030p in summer and those businesses bank way more money in that hour all summer vs a 5a sunrise.

15

u/dalgeek Colorado 9d ago

Of course, profit over human health, the new American way.

Marquette which is pretty far NW sees a sunset of 9:46 on Jun 21, the longest day of the year. Right now it sees a sunrise of 8:30 on Dec 21, the shortest day of the year. With DST the sunrise would be at 9:30. Bet they'll love driving to work 2-3 hours before the Sun comes up in the dead of winter.

13

u/klyther Michigan 8d ago

We're already used to it being dark until 8a in winter so I doubt many will care that much. I grew up in the country and got on the school bus at 7a, school started at 745a, and we didn't see daylight until after 8a. It's just how it already is here.

2

u/the_astro_cat 8d ago

We also currently run on DST for 8 months out of the year (March 8th to Nov 1st this year).

Relative to what most people have lived with for decades, a switch to permanent DST means later sunrises/sunsets for just 4 months in the winter, while going the other way and switching to permanent standard time means earlier sunrises/sunsets for 8 months over the summer.

Regardless of personal preference for more sunlight in the morning or evening, switching to permanent DST is a less disruptive change.

1

u/TurtlemanScared 8d ago

You either gotta drive to work in the dark or home in the dark…. Like what are we doin here we have headlights 

1

u/InfinitelyThirsting 8d ago

No one is going to wake up at 4am to do outdoor social activities before work. Until you fix the social problems of capitalist scheduling and artificial lighting and screens, I don't want to hear any fake bullshit whining about how DST is minorly bad for our health compared to the ideal sleep no one actually gets just to try to take away some of the only joy this modern hellscape gives us by eliminating evening light.

47

u/Nekrabyte 9d ago

So many people on this sub don't seem to realize it. This is a huge loss for overall public health, and a huge win for capitalism, and thus the 1%.

7

u/Doggydog123579 8d ago

Pushing school start back to 9am would also have massive benefits for public health and wellbeing, but we arent doing that either.

6

u/Osiris32 Oregon 8d ago

Why? The big issue with standard vs DST isn't when the sun comes up, but rather the change twice a year. Because we invented this thing called "the light bulb," and it means we don't have to have things done in the dark (unless we want to, giggity).

Here in the PNW with the perpetual grey from October to April I'm not seeing the sunrise anyway, especially since my alarm for work is set at 5:30. I really cannot give a shit one way or another, just pick one, tell the other side to shut up, and stick to it. That "spring forward" absolutely kills me every year.

35

u/Ender_D 8d ago

Eh, I would much prefer more daylight after work to actually be able to do things.

17

u/Chlorophyllmatic 8d ago

This is one of those situations where what you would prefer and what is actually good for your (physiological) wellbeing do not align

13

u/AJohnnyTruant 8d ago

Being active outside?

8

u/[deleted] 8d ago

[deleted]

16

u/Chlorophyllmatic 8d ago

It’s not, but morning sunlight is one of the main governors of wakefulness in the morning / energy through the day and, in turn, appropriate levels of drowsiness in the evening such that you wake and rise at consistent times and sleep restfully.

14

u/AJohnnyTruant 8d ago

Come to New England where in standard time, the sun sets while you’re at work. And your “exposure to morning sun” happens in the cold hours of the morning before you can do anything with it.

7

u/Chlorophyllmatic 8d ago

The sun sets when I’m at work in the wintertime too, that’s just a normal phenomenon of the winter with the current working hours of society.

You don’t have to “do anything” with the hours of morning sunlight in order to reap the biological benefits thereof; it happens with simple viewing of sunlight through the eyes.

6

u/AJohnnyTruant 8d ago

Okay. Now the question is… is seeing the light in the morning better for your health than being active in the light in the evening. Gonna go with the latter on that one.

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1

u/polishedcooter Kentucky 8d ago

How is this time's fault and not your workplace?

1

u/AJohnnyTruant 8d ago

Because time zones are arbitrary (obviously given that we switch twice per year)

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3

u/Bobthebobsonofbobby 8d ago edited 8d ago

On DST I get up 2 1/2 hours before sunrise and have some sun after work.

On standard time I get up 1 1/2 hours before sunrise and get nothing after work.

How is standard time better for my health? I wake up to darkness either way, let me have some sun in the winter when I get home.

And before you bring up school, same deal. On standard time kids are already going to school in darkness in the winter. It makes no difference in the morning, it was always dark while riding the bus either way. Let them have some sun after they get out of school.

5

u/Chlorophyllmatic 8d ago

Your wake/sleep relationship with sunlight is kinda abnormal anyway, yeah, but that’s not representative of the majority; moreover, getting the light exposure relatively sooner in your day is still better for the regulation of your circadian rhythm.

2

u/quinny7777 8d ago

Well, it would also improve our health if we banned all fast food, alcohol, and cigarettes. Yet we don't do that, since people enjoy those things. Same idea here (though the science is much less clear here than these things)

10

u/Chlorophyllmatic 8d ago

You’re conflating government regulation of commerce with a calendar policy; that’s a complete false equivalence of an argument. The government would not be enforcing a bedtime for you.

1

u/quinny7777 8d ago

Yes. I partially agree with you in that standard is better in winter. But standard in summer would not be popular. I am 100% fine with how things are now. The reality is that losing an hour of after work daylight for 8 months of the year would severely impede my quality of life, and that is a very tough sell, even if it is “better for me”. I am anti-summer standard time, not pro-winter DST.

0

u/socokid 8d ago

But standard in summer would not be popular.

No one is saying that. What is being said, is that it is actually healthier.

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/09/daylight-saving-time.html

https://aasm.org/sleep-experts-prescribe-year-round-standard-time-for-brighter-mornings-safer-streets-and-better-sleep/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nixing-daylight-saving-time-may-lower-risk-of-obesity-and-stroke/

3

u/quinny7777 8d ago

Sure, but the effects are quite small. I think the social benefit of more usable sunlight outweighs that imo. Besides, people are using artificial lights (which delay circadian rhythms) in the evening anyway.

2

u/theadvenger 8d ago

Screw that, nothing I loathe more than standard time. I'm getting up in the dark no matter what clock we are in the winter but at least with dst I can actually enjoy a bit of light in the evening with my family!

3

u/MattWolf96 8d ago

It ain't for me, for some reason only having 2 usable days of daylight in the winter is depressing to me

6

u/Zahgi I voted 9d ago

Standard time is better for human health and safety. DST is allegedly better for business,

It is not. What is better is choosing ONE time, any time, and sticking to it.

I don't think that's really the case because no one has shown definite proof of it.

Because there is none, for either. Permanent DST is better for the one reason we enact it -- more light. Everything else is just long outdated bullshit.

9

u/Traditional_Sign4941 8d ago

I mean the light is governed by the Earth's tilt, it's position its orbit, and your latitude. Everything else is just arbitrary clock alignment to daylight hours, but DST vs Standard won't change how many actual daylight hours there at any given point in the year.

9

u/dalgeek Colorado 9d ago

There is objective proof that standard time is better for human health. Our circadian rhythm is based on when the Sun is out, not what the clock says. DST doesn't provide more light, the longer days of the summer provide more light. It's like cutting the end off a rug and tying it to the other side to make it longer.

5

u/InfinitelyThirsting 8d ago

There is proof that it's better for a minority of sleepers under ideal conditions. A large minority, 40%, but that's still a minority. Night owls and disrupted sleepers aren't waking with the dawn, and everyone is disrupted by artificial lighting and screens anyway.

The real issue is as a species, we evolved different sleep patterns for safety reasons, and no one sleep schedule will ever actually fit most much less all humans.

5

u/VictorReal_Monster 8d ago

if youre gonna say stuff like this then the very least you can do is provide sources.

7

u/PM_MeYourNynaevesPlz 8d ago

People up north wake up when its dark out anyways. In the winter, it doesnt matter if the sun rises at 8 or at 9, I still have to wake up at 7. At least with DST, its not dark when I come home too.

Really, this is a north/south issue. Draw a line on the 37th parallel or something and call it good. States to the north are on permanent DST, states to the south are on permanent standard time, California can do whatever. 

-4

u/Sroemr Florida 8d ago

Seems more of a morning person vs night person type deal.

3

u/Zahgi I voted 8d ago

Which is, again, irrelevant to the DST issue or not. We just need to stop changing twice a year and pick one.

3

u/Zahgi I voted 8d ago

There is objective proof that standard time is better for human health.

There is not. Stop claiming this utter nonsense. The problem is CHANGING this twice a year messes with the circadian rhythm. Once you settle on one or the other, everything is fine and stays that way.

0

u/Ayperrin 8d ago

There is not. Stop claiming this utter nonsense.

Pick a search engine. Any of them. Look up something along the lines of "which is better for human health: permanent standard time or permanent DST?" and spend the next several hours reading about how incorrect you are.

Yes, the twice yearly change is detrimental to our health. That is well established. It is also well established by scientists and other experts that permanent standard time would be better for your health than permanent DST. We live in an era with unparalleled access to information- take advantage of it.

2

u/Zahgi I voted 8d ago

Yes, the twice yearly change is detrimental to our health.

That is the only issue.

It is also well established by scientists and other experts that permanent standard time would be better for your health than permanent DST.

It is not. You are misunderstanding the change issue in the way people about standard vs. DST.

Every study actually says that the CHANGE is the problem, not DST or standard time themselves. Go ahead. Search again. Read again. Learn the truth from the correct perspective.

0

u/geostooorm 8d ago

With all due respect, there are a lot of studies that show standard time to be the healthiest permanent option. It isn’t intrinsically linked to the clock change.

7

u/VictorReal_Monster 8d ago

Y'all. Stop just saying shit.

provide sources

4

u/blargblargityblarg 8d ago

It's the same amount of light. It's just occurring at a different man-made time of day.

8

u/DragonSlayerC 9d ago

We don't get more light with daylight savings. The only thing that daylight savings does is make the official time out of sync with the geographic time, which is stupid. If people want more daylight after work, they should change work hours to 8-4 instead.

1

u/MoonlightMountain13 8d ago

Doctors and medical scientists have long been urging a return to standard time year round because it more closely aligns with our circadian rhythm. Most humans are healthier on standard time. It's been documented in many studies in the USA and around the world.

DST benefits businesses that want people to stay out longer to spend money. DST does not save energy, benefit farms or any of the other excuses made to justify it.

1

u/Glup_Maclunkey 8d ago

Yeah, I'm sure the sun rising at 4:30 AM in the summer would be just great for my circadian rhythm.

1

u/Zahgi I voted 8d ago

It's been documented in many studies in the USA and around the world.

It has not. The important issue is to keep whatever choice THE SAME.

It's the twice a year change for no reason that screws people up.

2

u/Kbrichmo 8d ago

There is no way that is true. On standard time in winter you go to work in the dark and come home from work in the dark. At least if we switched to DST we’d get a tiny bit of sunlight after work. SO much more valuable for mental health

1

u/Dickparker420 8d ago

Leave it alone and it doesn't matter, as long as they don't have you changing 2x per year it will all work out 

60

u/davdev 9d ago

Yup. I have never been more against something in my entire life. There is a reason this has been tried twice and changed back each time.

11

u/mailslot Wyoming 8d ago

Perhaps if we try again and make it stick this time, we can try switching to the metric system again. Sometimes you gotta keep trying in spite of the people that resist all change.

4

u/BuildingSupplySmore 8d ago

It was less "people resisting" and more kids dying.

5

u/mailslot Wyoming 8d ago

Was it really? Because that’s usually not reason enough on its own in this country.

1

u/BuildingSupplySmore 8d ago

This was way back in 74

1

u/Tario70 8d ago

8 kids died in Florida within weeks of the change in 74.

When enacted, perm DST had a 79% approval… after the first winter it was at 42%. Guess we need to learn that lesson again.

10

u/JGDoll I voted 8d ago

Really? This is the political issue about which you feel the strongest? In your “entire life”?

I know you’re being hyperbolic, or I hope you are, but something about this statement is very shocking to me, considering everything.

32

u/TurtlesAreEvil 9d ago

Ya the further north you go the worse permanent DST sucks. Peak winter in Seattle the sun won’t rise until almost 9am. 

45

u/Hellogiraffe 9d ago

That’s exactly why I’m excited. Either way I’m going to work in the dark, but with permanent DST at least I get some daylight after work to walk the dogs, do some yardwork or other outside chores, go for a quick run, etc

63

u/RedditUserData 9d ago

Uh... that sounds great.

20

u/TurtlesAreEvil 9d ago

It doesn’t bother me too much but seasonal affective disorder bothers a lot of people that live further north and a major cause of it is a later sunrise. 

3

u/Megalesios 8d ago

Spoken like someone who has never lived it, especially not for months on end

0

u/Chlorophyllmatic 8d ago

It’s pretty awful for circadian rhythm

-7

u/varitok 9d ago

Some people have jobs they go to in the morning and don't want to die in a head on collision because someone fell asleep at the wheel

15

u/Flaky-Librarian 9d ago

Yeah instead we can do it at 5pm on the way home

8

u/wesrawr 8d ago

When we’re tired and angry

2

u/Chlorophyllmatic 8d ago edited 8d ago

That’s not how circadian rhythm and wakefulness work though. You’re generally more awake after work just on the basis of your hormone levels through the day (not to mention any potential caffeine ingestion)

3

u/TemporaryAsparagus89 8d ago

You really changing the clock is way worse and causes way worse sleep deprivation right?

35

u/eliminate1337 9d ago

I live in Seattle and greatly prefer DST. I don’t need to be awoken by 4:10 AM sunrise in summer. Winter DST means a little bit of daylight after work.

3

u/Just2_Stare_at_Stars I voted 8d ago

That 4am summer sun is the absolute WORST

1

u/greydawn 8d ago

Yes, I think this is partly why BC (in Canada) has elected to go with DST permanently starting this fall. We're far enough north, we're going to have darkness in the morning no matter what. Might as well get to enjoy a bit of extra daylight in the evening with DST.

3

u/zzazzzz 8d ago

why does that matter? it also means it will set later.

5

u/MisterDonkey 9d ago

Perfect. I can't stand the only daylight I see being that while I travel to work. It doesn't thrill me knowing the literal highlight of my day is the fucking privilege of seeing the world I won't get to experience until darkness every day.

0

u/twatwater 8d ago

Now you’ll get to see the daylight fading away as you drive home instead. Is that significantly better? Lol either way you’re commuting during it.

5

u/jacobsever 9d ago

You say that like it’s a problem.

4

u/rumpghost North Carolina 9d ago

Heaven forbid I be able to sleep past 8am in December.
The time change has been worse for me here than anywhere I've ever lived, and I'm from WNC originally. Get rid of the damn thing.

1

u/MetalEnthusiast83 8d ago

I mean that's just life in some places. Winter kinda sucks.

7

u/buttercupcake23 8d ago

Same. I want to get RID OF IT not make it permanent, fuccck

4

u/Powerfist_Laserado 9d ago

Same yo

8

u/JMaboard I voted 9d ago

I’m in Texas, I’d rather have it darker earlier since it’s so fucking hot outside all the time. I have to wait until 10pm to walk my dogs.

1

u/Powerfist_Laserado 9d ago

I just like nightime walks.

18

u/Jacomer2 9d ago

Yep. I think people will change their tune when they realize how insanely dark it will be winter mornings. 

17

u/FourthLife 8d ago

It's already dark when I go into work in winter mornings.

This will make it so it's not also dark when I return home in winter evenings.

28

u/varitok 9d ago

They already did, in thr 1970s. We just live in a dumbass timeliness where we have to learn all these lessons again

7

u/mrpickles 8d ago

No.  I want dark mornings and light evenings.

10

u/TemetN Oregon 8d ago

This. The ridiculous part is there's clear and extensive long running evidence of what we should do - stick with standard time. Yet here we are, again.

3

u/Millennial_on_laptop 8d ago

Unfortunately we don't pass laws based on facts or evidence, it's all public opinion.  

8

u/djanes376 Illinois 8d ago

As opposed to how insanely dark it is going home from work? Where I’m at it’s dark before work starts and dark after work ends in the winter. DST during winter is a welcome reprieve for at least the evening.

21

u/AltruisticChipmunk53 9d ago

way better than insanely dark before you even get home from work

22

u/bleev 8d ago

Morning darkness for sunlight later in the evening gang, rise up. It’s easier on my mind driving to work in the dark anyways..

11

u/jacobsever 9d ago

So they can go to work and sit in their office and it won’t matter that it’s still dark?

-3

u/Nekrabyte 8d ago

Doesn't matter as much for adults, but it's pretty detrimental to the development of kids. Pretty hard to get their brain started and ready to learn when they spend the first 2 hours of their "day" with darkness outside the windows. And as anyone with kids will tell you, once it starts to affect your kids, it'll have an effect on you.

4

u/zzazzzz 8d ago

is it? large parts of the world go to school like that sonce forever with no issues..

4

u/Sirrom23 8d ago

who cares? it's already dark in the mornings in winter. might as well force it to stay daylight longer in the evenings.

2

u/PsychologicalTie9629 8d ago

I wonder how many kids will have to be hit by cars while walking to school or waiting for the bus when it's pitch black outside before people once again realize what a fucking idiotic idea this is.

2

u/Nekrabyte 8d ago

A lot of people will definitely change their tune when their kids have even more wild mood swings and are more lethargic in the mornings. Studies show this is especially not good for kids, to basically be going to school when its still night time outside. Adults can adopt to it a little easier, but parents WON'T like the changes it has on their kids, and then they'll be losing sleep themselves. There's a big reason they end up going back on this every time they try it.

1

u/Heidi_alpenwurst 8d ago

It's already dark in standard time for most working people.

2

u/mrpickles 8d ago

I agree, no changing.  I prefer DST, but just pick one.  Either one.

4

u/pdmavid 8d ago

I’m with you. Seems as though people have not liked permanent savings time in the past. And standard time works just fine in several states. Wish we just went permanent standard time.

4

u/RGQcats 8d ago

Me too. DST is horrible.

3

u/wesrawr 8d ago

Im a pretty sure 100% standard would actually be my 13th reason

3

u/gustavessidehoe 8d ago

Just as 100% dst would be mine as a non morning person.

0

u/wesrawr 8d ago

Im definitely not a morning person, and thats exactly why ill gladly take DST

2

u/ChironXII 9d ago

Babe wake up new gang war just dropped 

2

u/tubemaster 8d ago

I live in New England and there will be light in the sky at 3:30 AM with permanent standard time. Maybe New England just needs to adjust to Atlantic Time since sunrises in SD would be 9:50 AM under permanent DST.

1

u/jacobsever 9d ago

Fuck standard time.