Since DST just ended yesterday in the US, I decided to write a post about it. I HATE DST! I dread Spring and Fall because of the time changes that mess with me all year long. Just when I start getting used to one time change, it’s time to change it again. As someone with multiple chronic illnesses, the effects of this are extremely difficult to deal with.
DST and chronic illness
It’s not just about losing an hour of sleep in the Spring, just to get it back in the fall. I already have trouble sleeping and staying asleep, and this certainly doesn’t help any. I’m also in significantly more pain after the time changes, because my routine has been changed.
I know it doesn’t seem like much of a shift, but when dealing with multiple chronic illnesses, it is. My routine is part of my health care routine. My routine plays a critical role in my healthcare. My body needs to know what to expect and when, and it gets used to that.
The stress hormones that are released because of the time change in our sleep cycles also lead to (a lot of) inflammation and pain, which will take weeks to subside, or if you’re like me, months.
Another thing to consider is our medications. When your medications are on a strict schedule, like mine, this also changes with the time. So whether your medications are for pain management, hormone replacement, or an autoimmune disease we’re left with two decisions.
Do we continue to take our medications at the same time despite the clock changes? Sometimes this isn’t possible, because some of us take our medications at certain times around our work schedules. The other choice is to change your medication schedule to match the clock. This leads to more pain, inflammation, and flare-ups for me.
Ending Daylight Saving Time (DST) brings several measurable health benefits and addresses public demand for a change. Recent research highlights that the twice-yearly clock changes disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms, triggering effects that go well beyond “feeling tired.” Here’s what the science and public opinion say.
Daylight Saving Time health effects
• Reduced Obesity and Stroke Risk: New studies show that keeping the same time year-round, especially permanent standard time, could reduce obesity rates by nearly 0.8% (about 2.6 million people) and prevent around 300,000 cases of stroke in the U.S. Permanent daylight saving time also decreases risk, but to a slightly lesser extent.
• Improved Heart and Brain Health: Sudden time changes are linked to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and cognitive issues, especially in the week following the clock shift.
• Safer Roads and Workplaces: Studies find spikes in car crashes, workplace injuries, and hospital admissions right after DST changes, due to sleep loss and circadian misalignment.
• Better Mental Health: Disrupted sleep from DST can worsen depression, anxiety, and mood regulation—especially for shift workers or those with pre-existing sleep disorders.
Ending DST benefits
• Well-being: Most people feel tired, less alert, and less productive after clock changes, and research connects this to real health and safety hazards.
• Alignment With Natural Body Clocks: The medical community, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, recommends sticking to permanent standard time, which better matches human circadian rhythms.
• Inconvenience: DST originated as an energy-saving policy, but now has minimal impact on energy use and more drawbacks for modern life.
Why Do We Still Do It?
• Policy and Debate: Though there is significant public and expert support for eliminating DST, U.S. law and political debates have prevented full change. Some advocate making daylight time permanent for more evening daylight, but health experts favor standard time for better morning light and overall wellness.
• Uncertainty Across States: States need federal approval to switch to permanent DST, and consensus remains impossible due to varying regional preferences.
Research shows that abandoning clock changes could bring widespread benefits for heart, brain, and metabolic health, enhance public safety, and support healthier sleep for everyone.
I know that I, for one, would be much happier to not have to deal with this again. Unfortunately, I also know that trying to get everybody to agree on something is never going to happen. So, until the time I can retire and make my own schedule, I’m left dealing with the repercussions of DST.
How does DST affect you? Would you rather eliminate DST, or make DST permanent? Leave your comments below.
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