By Sarah Roebuck
Editorial Staff
DARIEN, Ill. — The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has updated its position statement, advocating for the elimination of daylight saving time in favor of permanent standard time.
AASM said the change is intended to better align with human circadian rhythms.
According to AASM, the discontinuation of seasonal time changes would prevent potential health and safety risks associated with the misalignment of our biological clocks and the environment caused by daylight saving time.
“By causing the human body clock to be misaligned with the natural environment, daylight saving time increases risks to our physical health, mental wellbeing and public safety,” said lead author Dr. M. Adeel Rishi, who is chair of the AASM Public Safety Committee and a pulmonary, sleep medicine and critical care specialist at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. “Permanent standard time is the optimal choice for health and safety.”
The updated position statement, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, builds upon the original statement issued by the AASM in 2020. It reinforces the call for year-round standard time based on mounting evidence. Various other organizations, including the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, National Sleep Foundation, Sleep Research Society and American Medical Association have endorsed similar positions.
“Permanent standard time helps synchronize the body clock with the rising and setting of the sun,” said Dr. James A. Rowley, president of the AASM. “This natural synchrony is optimal for healthy sleep and sleep is essential for health, mood, performance and safety.”
The statement was developed by the AASM’s Public Safety Committee and is backed by 20 medical, scientific and advocacy organizations, including those focused on cardiovascular sleep medicine, dental sleep medicine, otolaryngology, sleep technologists, chest physicians, lifestyle medicine, metabolic and bariatric surgery, thoracic society and various sleep societies.
The majority of the U.S. will revert to standard time when daylight saving time concludes on Sunday, Nov. 5.