The end of daylight saving time is approaching, offering an extra hour’s sleep. Despite this, it’s one of the most disliked weekends in the American calendar. An AP-NORC poll indicates that only 12% of U.S. adults support the current daylight saving system, which involves changing the clocks twice a year. Meanwhile, 47% oppose it, and 40% are neutral.

Clocks across the country will move back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, transitioning to standard time with increased morning daylight. The poll reveals that many Americans resent this change, preferring the extra hour of daylight in the evening instead.

Pranava Jayanti, a Los Angeles resident, is among those against the switch. Raised in India where clocks remain constant, he was struck by how quickly it darkened in the latter half of the day upon moving to the U.S. for graduate school.

“When it actually happened, it still took me by surprise,” he said.

There have been efforts to stop the switch, including a 2022 Senate-passed bill now stalled. Several organizations, alongside previous President Donald Trump, have advocated for consistently using one time year-round.

Permanent daylight saving time, though, has its detractors, especially among morning enthusiasts. The poll shows permanent daylight saving time would be unpopular with a significant portion of the population.

Time Change: Historical Context

Daylight saving time started during World War I, resumed in World War II, and Congress let states decide whether to adopt it via a 1966 law. Currently, only Arizona and Hawaii stay on standard time year-round, while other states make the shifts. Globally, some regions like Canada and Europe participate, but not places like Asia. Europe’s and North America’s time changes occur a week apart, briefly making time differences a bit shorter.

About half of U.S. adults oppose the changes, 27% strongly. Among younger adults under 30, indifference is higher. Older adults lean more toward disapproval.

If given a choice, 56% favor permanent daylight saving time with extended evening daylight, while about four in ten prefer standard time for more light in the morning.

Personal Preferences and Public Opinion

Vicky Robson, a retired nurse from Minnesota, favors permanent daylight saving time. Preferring more light in the evening aligns with her lifestyle.

“I need it more in the late afternoon, early evening,” Robson expressed, regarding how she likes to spend her time.

Despite ongoing discussions on whether daylight or standard time suits society best, no conclusive evidence exists. Strategies for adjusting sleep and habits accompany these debates.

The Impact on Health

Research from Stanford University suggests a single time could benefit human health, asserting standard time offers slightly better health advantages.

Jamie Zeitzer of Stanford explains, “The more light you have earlier in the morning, the more robust your clock is.” However, he acknowledged other factors such as economics and personal preferences play roles.

In the 1970s, the U.S. attempted permanent daylight saving time but reversed the decision within a year due to its unpopularity. Time shifts are entrenched in cultural practices.

Chad Orzel, physics professor and author, notes, “People really like having the long evenings in the summer.”

These shifts are part of maintaining desired sunrise and sunset patterns throughout the seasons, albeit at the cost of changing clocks twice annually.