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TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – A proposal to make daylight saving time permanent could leave East Texans starting their winter days in darkness for longer
Daylight saving time is the annual time change when clocks “spring forward” by one hour on the second Sunday in March. The goal is to shift more daylight into the evening hours
If daylight saving time became permanent, the sun would appear to rise about an hour later during some winter months, according to ‘Time and Date.’
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill, the Sunshine Protection Act, that would make daylight saving time year-round. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate
Sleep experts say losing early morning sunlight can make it harder for the body to fully wake up
Dr. Daniel Rongo, a UT Health physician who specializes in sleep medicine, says the body relies on morning light as a natural signal
“Our bodies know when it’s daytime and our body knows when to go to sleep,” Dr. Rongo said
He says early morning light is especially important because the body naturally reacts to it when we wake up
“Removing that light from our mornings can be detrimental to our health,” Dr. Rongo said
Rongo says if winter mornings stay darker later, the body may not get the alignment it typically gets from sunrise
“When we have dark mornings and we don’t have the alignment that the sun beneficially gives us in the mornings, that can lead to our bodies not being aligned in the way it should.”
He says that misalignment can lead to real-world consequences
“Such as sleep deprivation and feeling sleepy at times where we really should be awake, especially during driving, whenever we’re at school, trying to do our jobs,” he said
Rongo also noted children could be waiting at bus stops or arriving at school in darker conditions during parts of winter
“We do worry about things such as poor performance in school, as well as traffic accidents.”
One East Texan, Antone Cooks, said that is a major concern for families
“I know other people that live in the area that have children that take the school bus….I’m concerned about, you know, the children in the neighborhood,” he said
If the legislation becomes law, Rongo says the best defense is a steady sleep routine. He recommends sticking to a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule, especially for children
“Especially with kids, they need more sleep,” Dr. Rongo said
Daylight saving time is currently observed in 48 states. The proposed federal change would end the twice-a-year clock switch, while still allowing states to opt out
The Sunshine Protection Act is now waiting in the Senate. No vote has been scheduled yet
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