The Pros and Cons of Daylight Saving Time: Modern Habits That Go Against Our Biological Clocks - Body Clock Over Wall Clock

The Right to "Slow Down" in Winter—Why Daylight Saving Time Contradicts Human and Natural Rhythms

In many parts of the United States, clocks were set back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2025, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST). While this event is often seen as "gaining an hour" on the calendar, does this annual ritual truly enrich our lives? Recent discussions strongly challenge the notion that DST aligns with "human nature." These discussions include perspectives from indigenous peoples who emphasize living in harmony with natural rhythms, as well as critiques of the relationship between capitalism and working hours.CBS News

Wisdom from Indigenous Calendars: Trusting the Seasons

The core of the discussion is clear. Living beings increase activity in brighter seasons and decrease it in darker ones. Rest in winter, bloom in summer. Humans are no exception—in fact, they are closely tied to nature. Yet, we manipulate clocks and align ourselves with "artificial time" that is neither dawn nor dusk. Indigenous knowledge has linked time to celestial and terrestrial cycles, scheduling meetings not for "Thursday at 4 p.m." but for "the next full moon." Time, therefore, is not something to be "managed" but is the cycle of life itself.FlaglerLive

The "9 to 5" Assumption

The original purpose of Daylight Saving Time was to "save daylight," but the primary beneficiaries are regular office workers. Jobs that support society regardless of season or time, such as night shifts and care work, often fall outside the scope of this system. This raises the question: "Whose time is being used, for what purpose, and why should the same amount of work be done in every season?" While the idea of quantifying time and measuring productivity has brought convenience, it has also blurred the boundaries between work and personal time, accelerating overwork and consumption. The discussion points out that this "reification of time" contradicts the finite nature of the environment.FlaglerLive

Current Legal Status: Permanent Change is "Not Yet"

There is a strong public sentiment against further clock manipulation. The "Sunshine Protection Act (H.R.139)" was reintroduced in the 2025 session of the U.S. Congress to make DST permanent, but it has not been passed. Permanent change requires legislative action, and political consensus is still in progress. Therefore, the seasonal ritual of "springing forward and falling back" is expected to continue for the time being.Congress.gov

Decoding Social Media Reactions: A Three-Layered Structure of Approval, Disapproval, and "Meme-ification"

As the final day of DST approaches, "fallback" announcements flood X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. While official TV accounts remind people to "set clocks back one hour this Sunday," timelines are filled with memes, and polls and surveys are repeatedly conducted. The reactions can be broadly categorized into three layers: cultural "meme-ification," practical confusion, and fatigue with the system.X (formerly Twitter)

1. Practical Concerns: Internal Clocks and Lifestyle Disruptions
   Comments like "sleep gets disrupted" and "putting kids to bed is hell" are seasonal staples. Health programs and public health media recommend "soft landings" by adjusting bedtime and wake-up time in 15-minute increments to minimize stress on the internal clock (circadian rhythm). This is particularly important after the fall transition, when earlier sunsets can affect mood.The Guardian

2. System Fatigue: Permanent Change or Abolition?
   The annual "clock manipulation" has many people fed up. The "loss of an hour" in spring particularly heightens opposition, leading to widespread online polls and surveys. In March 2025, a large-scale poll on X became a hot topic, with media reporting on the "online backlash against DST." The majority opposed the change, and opinions calling for an end to "springing forward" were made visible.yahoo.com

3. Humor: Memes and Self-Deprecating "Jet Lag"
   Every year, timelines are flooded with self-deprecating memes like "the one-hour journey" or "is it okay to leave the car clock as is?" The spread of these memes reflects a "year-round event" where critique and humor about the system coexist.Parade
   
   

Reclaiming the "Natural Pace"—Practical Tips

• Create a Day Based on Natural Light
  Spend 5–10 minutes in natural light outdoors in the morning. Avoid strong light and limit device use 90 minutes before bedtime. During the transition week, shift wake-up and sleep times by 15 minutes.The Guardian

• Ensure "Buffer" Time in Schedules
  Set meeting and school start times more flexibly during the week before and after the transition. At home, allow buffer time for putting children to bed and morning preparations.pbs.org

• Reevaluate Community Calendars
  Propose starting community events based on natural light, such as "right after sunset" or "one hour after sunrise," and consider shorter, less dense schedules in winter. Learning from indigenous calendars, the idea of "working and living with the seasons" can break through overly packed schedules.FlaglerLive
  
  

Conclusion: What We Should Conserve is Not "Daylight" but "The Fuel of Our Own Lives"

Daylight Saving Time is a mechanism to extend evenings in a 9-to-5 world. However, we live within an "ecosystem" of nature's finiteness and our internal clocks. We slow down in winter and speed up in spring. Valuing the rhythm of the seasons and giving equal weight to resting, caregiving, and nurturing as we do to "productivity"—such a shift in values could make our lives more sustainable than merely adjusting the clock hands.FlaglerLive