What permanent daylight saving would mean in New York
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)- It still must pass in the U.S. House of Representatives, but a bill to make daylight saving time (DST) permanent passed in the Senate. Passage of the bill means New Yorkers would turn their clocks ahead in March 2024 and not ever have to worry about turning them back, according to Reuters.
More than 60% of the world uses standard time and the number of countries that observe DST has dropped from 81 to 74 since 2013, according to timeanddate.com. DST has been linked to several illnesses including depression, strokes, and cardiovascular disease. It also disrupts sleep cycles. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine conducted a study in 2020 and found 63% of Americans were in favor of a fixed-time year-round.
The change would make no difference in New York until winter 2024. Permanent DST would mean gradually sunrise would get to be as late as 8:32 a.m. in January, followed by sunset at approximately 5:40 p.m. Opposed to 7:32 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. under DST. More New Yorkers would be going to work or school in the dark, but the offset means more daylight after hours.
Being exposed to more sunlight after hours could ease seasonal depression because it will give New Yorkers more opportunities to enjoy daylight hours. Permanent DST will be an adjustment but one that might help people stay happier and healthier.
Look at the daylight hours gained from permanent DST for someone awake between 5:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. and who works 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the chart below. The downside is for people who like to wake up with the sun. There would be 41 days of waking up while it's light with DST compared to 155 without.
| DST | Without DST | |
| Hours of daylight while awake | 13.39 | 12.96 |
| Free hours of daylight | 4.39 | 4.07 |
| Days it's when upon waking | 41 | 155 |
| Days it's light leaving work | 230 | 189 |
The rest of the U.S. would be catching up with most of Arizona and Hawaii if the Sunshine Protection Act is signed into law. Arizona uses Mountain Standard Time and Hawaii, uses Standard Time year-round. Federal law prohibits states from adopting permanent DST but 18 states (not including New York) have passed laws in favor of the change.