SPOKANE, Wash. – The end of Daylight Saving Time will take place on Sunday, and people will get an extra hour of sleep when clocks turn back one hour.
However, many viewers contacting NonStop Local have wondered why Washington still changes the clocks.
In 2019, the State Legislature passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), which would move Washington to permanent Daylight Saving Time.
“Whether people like permanent Daylight Saving Time or prefer permanent Standard Time, everybody wants to see the clock switching stop,” Richelli said.
Despite Governor Jay Inslee signing that bill into law, the change has never been made because U.S. Congress still needs to approve it. President Joe Biden must sign off on it.
Aside from the logistics of #ditchtheswitch, there are also health implications from Daylight Saving Time.
“When we spring ahead and lose an hour of sleep, it really does affect our body. We know that in the week following, we have more heart attacks and it makes us not as focused,” Dr. Sarah d’Hulst, MD, the Primary Care Medical Director at MultiCare, said.
d’Hulst told NonStop Local that Daylight Saving Time messes with sleep schedules for adults and school children. She added that when it is lighter, people live healthier and more active lifestyles.
“We know that when it’s hard to get up in the morning, we are a little later to work, maybe we’re not getting to school on time in the morning. So, it’s really tough on our bodies to not have all of that sunshine,” d’Hulst said.
Riccelli said it is frustrating that it has taken Congress so long to approve the change to permanent Daylight Saving Time.
“We could move to permanent standard time without federal action. Again, I I think maybe if Congress can’t act, we should begin to take a look at that,” Ricceli said.
