New position statement advocates for permanent standard time in the UK

WileyOct 23 2024

The British Sleep Society has released a position statement in the Journal of Sleep Research advocating for the abolition of the twice-yearly clock changes in the UK and the restoration of permanent Standard Time (Greenwich Mean Time). This recommendation is based on scientific evidence highlighting the adverse effects of the clock change and Daylight Saving Time (DST) on sleep and circadian health.

The British Sleep Society emphasizes that sleep is central to health and well-being and the enforced changes of clock time to DST can interfere negatively with sleep regulation. "What we often don't realize is that DST changes our schedules, moving them forward by one hour while daylight remains the same. DST forces us all to get up and go to work or school one hour earlier, often in the dark," said co-author Eva Winnebeck, PhD, of the University of Surrey. The Society stresses that natural daylight in the morning is crucial for maintaining an alignment of our body clocks with day and night, which is essential for optimal sleep and overall health.

Some people even advocate switching to DST all year around. We think this is misguided, because it would leave us with dark mornings during the winter, and morning light is critically important for keeping our body clocks synchronized."

Malcolm von Schantz, PhD, coauthor of Northumbria University

Other sleep societies have also argued against year-round DST and advocate for the return to year-round Standard Time, but this position statement is the first published UK perspective. "The unique location and orientation of our UK landmass needs to be considered because permanent DST would over-disadvantage people west and north of London," said first author Megan Crawford, PhD, of the University of Strathclyde.