Permanent Daylight Saving Time could disrupt sleep and school performance in children, expert says

Proposed legislation to establish permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) could have consequences for children's sleep, school performance, and safety, particularly during winter months,¹ according to Dawn Dore-Stites, PhD, a pediatric psychologist at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

The Sunshine Protection Act passed the US House of Representatives on July 14, 2026, by a vote of 308-117 and awaits Senate action.¹ The legislation would establish DST year-round, eliminating the annual return to Standard Time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), however, recommends permanent standard time, stating that it more closely aligns the social clock with the solar clock and human circadian biology.²

How could permanent daylight saving time affect children's circadian rhythms?

Dore-Stites said understanding the potential effects begins with 3 different clocks that influence behavior.

"There's the solar clock, which we can't change; that's the sun rising and setting. There's our circadian rhythms, which are biological drivers; they're much slower to change. And then there's our social clocks: when school starts, when our jobs start, when school ends, or athletic events or practices start or end," she said.

Under permanent DST, social schedules would remain largely unchanged, but winter mornings would become darker and evenings brighter. Morning light is an important signal for the circadian clock, helping stabilize the sleep-wake cycle. In some parts of the United States, permanent DST could push winter sunrise to approximately 8:30 to 9 am or later.

"Our social clocks will not change, and our kind of circadian rhythms won't align with our solar clocks," Dore-Stites said.

Why could adolescents be particularly affected?

Adolescents may be particularly susceptible because puberty is associated with a shift toward later sleep and wake times. Permanent DST could further delay their internal clocks by reducing morning light and extending evening light exposure.³

"For especially adolescents who are already at risk for kind of a delayed phase or being more of a night owl, it'll make it very hard for them to wake up in the morning; they might feel much more cognitively foggy, leading to being at risk for academic decline in their morning classes," Dore-Stites said.

Previous research found that students were sleepier, had slower reaction times, and demonstrated reduced attention on school days following a time change.³ Other research has associated inadequate sleep in adolescents with poorer academic performance and increased rates of depression, anxiety, substance use, and drowsy-driving crashes.⁴

What safety concerns could pediatricians see?

Permanent DST could also mean children travel to school in darkness for months during winter.

"For younger kids who are sitting at bus stops in the dark, that can pose a public safety issue. For our young drivers who are just learning how to navigate roads and traffic, they're also now doing it in the dark, that can be a public safety concern," Dore-Stites said.

Dore-Stites also cited research associating later solar timing with higher motor vehicle crash fatality rates, although adolescent-specific crash data remain more limited.⁵

How could infants and families be affected?

Infants may be less directly affected because parents have greater control over their schedules and light exposure.

"You know, infants are a little bit more under our control. So I think for parents, they can control the light exposure. They can control, you know, the social clock a little bit better," Dore-Stites said.

However, she expressed concern that later evening light could reduce parents' sleep duration while infants and toddlers continue waking according to their existing circadian rhythms.

What can pediatricians recommend?

Dore-Stites recommends regular bedtimes and wake times, reducing evening light, recognizing children's individual sleep cues, and maximizing morning and daytime light exposure.

"All of those things are good sleep hygiene strategies that are relatively easily implemented," she said.

The distinction between permanent DST and permanent standard time is also important for clinicians discussing the issue with families. The AASM supports eliminating seasonal clock changes but recommends permanent Standard Time, a position endorsed by multiple medical and sleep organizations.²

References

1. US Congress. H.R. 139—Sunshine Protection Act of 2025. 119th Congress (2025-2026). Congress.gov. January 3, 2025. Accessed August 17, 2026. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/139

2. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. AASM applauds Sunshine Kids Act to make permanent standard time. July 15, 2026. Accessed August 17, 2026. https://aasm.org/aasm-sunshine-kids-act-permanent-standard-time/

3. Borisenkov MF, Petrova NB, Timonin VD, et al. Sleep characteristics, chronotype and winter depression in 10-20-year-olds in northern European Russia. J Sleep Res. 2015;24(3):288-295. doi:10.1111/jsr.12266

4. Other research has associated inadequate sleep in adolescents with poorer academic performance and increased rates of depression, anxiety, substance use, and drowsy-driving crashes.

5. Fritz J, VoPham T, Wright KP Jr, Vetter C. A Chronobiological Evaluation of the Acute Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Traffic Accident Risk. Curr Biol. 2020;30(4):729-735.e2. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.12.045