Pallone Leads Discussion on Health Harms of ‘Springing Forward’ 

A hearing was held Tuesday by the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce to discuss the role of daylight saving time, also known as “springing forward.” Starting Monday, March 14, individuals in the U.S. will move their clocks forward one hour.

“The loss of that one hour of sleep … can have impacts on our health and our economy,” said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., who serves as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, during the hearing. 

According to Pallone, daylight saving time was adopted nationwide in Germany during World War I in an effort to save energy and later adopted during World War II in the United States to increase productivity. 

At that time, it was believed that extending light into the evening hours would help consumers pay less for electricity because they would not have to turn their lights on until later in the evening. 

“Modern luxuries, such as heating, air conditioning and other appliances have changed that calculation,” said Pallone. 

Pallone said studies show an increase in heart attacks and strokes in the days following the time change, as well as a 6% increase in workplace injuries.

Pallone requests that the Department of Transportation conduct an evaluation and analysis about the effects of daylight saving time.

Karin Johnson, a sleep medicine specialist and associate professor of neurology at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School – Baystate, also discussed efforts during a SciLine event this week to stop the twice-yearly clock change.

In research presented by Johnson, the switch in time causes an alarming amount of suffering and death, particularly due to chronic sleep deprivation, especially for children, caused by the misalignment of our biological clocks and solar hours. 

“Standard time is the best for health, the easiest way to end clock change, and no longer a clear way to save energy,” said Johnson in a recent tweet. 

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