17 Oct
2026
On Sunday, November 1, most of the United States will set its clocks back an hour. For many people the "fall back" weekend is the easy one, a free hour of sleep. Sleep scientists see it differently. In the past two weeks, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has used the approaching change to make two related arguments: that this should be the last clock change Americans ever make, and that drowsy driving is a far bigger safety problem than most people assume.
Taken together, the two campaigns say something useful about how our bodies keep time, and about what to do in the darker weeks ahead.
On October 7, the AASM and the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time urged lawmakers to adopt year-round standard time. "This should be the last time we ever have to change our clocks," said Dr. Karin Johnson, a sleep medicine physician and co-chair of the coalition's steering committee. The coalition, established in 2023, counts the AASM, the National Sleep Foundation, Save Standard Time, the Sleep Research Society and the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms among its founding members.
Two competing bills sit before Congress, according to the release. The Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139) would make daylight saving time permanent. The Sunshine for Our Kids Act (H.R. 9638) would make standard time permanent nationwide. Many people agree they want to stop switching clocks; the fight is over which time to keep.
The scientific case rests on light. The body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm, is partly regulated by sunlight, and morning light in particular helps synchronize it, making it easier to wake, stay alert and sleep well at night. Johnson describes permanent standard time as offering the "best alignment with the body's internal clock," and calls it the healthiest choice for sleep, safety and well-being.
Permanent daylight saving time, by contrast, would mean later sunrises and darker winter mornings, reducing the morning light that supports sleep, mood and daytime functioning, the AASM argues. The release notes that the U.S. has tried year-round daylight saving time before, and that concerns about dark mornings and public safety led Congress to reverse course. It also flags adolescents as especially sensitive to losing morning light, linking that loss to depression and school performance.
This is not a new position for the AASM. A 2020 article on its Sleep Education site laid out the same argument, citing evidence linking the spring change to daylight saving time with a higher risk of heart attacks, medical errors and car accidents. What has changed is the legislative moment, with rival bills offering lawmakers a clear choice between the two permanent options.
Whatever one thinks of the policy debate, the underlying biology offers a personal lesson: morning light is not a luxury. As days shorten, getting outside early, even briefly, is one of the simplest ways to keep a body clock steady.
Five days after its clock-change appeal, the AASM released survey results on drowsy driving. In an online survey of 2,007 U.S. adults commissioned by the AASM and conducted by Atomik Research, 41% said they had felt so sleepy while driving that it affected their ability to drive safely.
The more revealing finding is what people do about it. Among those who admitted to driving while sleepy, 65% said they drink coffee or another caffeinated beverage, 59% open a window, 52% turn up the radio, 50% pull over for a break, 44% drink water and 37% eat a snack. Fewer said they make a phone call (28%) or listen to an audiobook or podcast (23%).
The AASM's point is that most of those strategies treat the feeling of sleepiness, not the cause. "There is no strategy that can substitute for sufficient sleep," said AASM President Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg. Jake Nelson, director of traffic safety advocacy and research at AAA, put it in practical terms: "Coffee, fresh air, or a loud radio may make you feel more alert temporarily, but they cannot replace sleep."
The release cites AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research finding that drowsy driving is a factor in more than one in six crashes, nearly eight times higher than federal estimates, and contributes to more than 6,000 deaths a year. The same body of research links driving after only four hours of sleep to a crash risk comparable to driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08, according to the AASM.
That comparison reframes drowsy driving. Most people would never drive after several drinks, yet many treat a short night as an inconvenience rather than an impairment. The warning signs the AASM lists are worth memorizing: "If you are yawning, drifting into other lanes, or nodding off, it's time to pull over to get some sleep," Abbasi-Feinberg said.
The AASM's two releases include advice that fits naturally together. For the clock change, it suggests:
For driving, the AASM recommends sleeping at least seven hours before getting behind the wheel, avoiding driving late at night and early in the morning when drowsiness is more likely, sharing the driving on long trips with a well-rested passenger, and arranging a ride after a late shift. If you do get drowsy, pull over somewhere safe. Nelson noted that "a 20- to 30-minute nap can help restore alertness for up to two hours."
The timing of these messages is deliberate. The AASM tied its survey to the National Sleep Foundation's Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, November 1 to 7, which begins the same day clocks fall back. Earlier sunsets mean more evening commutes in the dark, and that is exactly when a tired driver is most vulnerable.
The legislative question is whether Congress moves on either bill, and which version of permanent time wins if it does. Until then, the practical question is personal. The November 1 change is a natural checkpoint to protect a regular sleep schedule, get morning light, and treat drowsiness at the wheel as seriously as any other impairment. Coffee may get you to the next exit, but only sleep fixes the problem.
This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Talk to a qualified health professional about your situation.
A message can lift you, but the right fit helps you wear it your way. Choose an uplifting women's...
A September research announcement revisits BASE-STEP’s March 2026 antiproton transport. The scien...
Ahead of November 3, UNESCO’s 2026 designations offer a way to read conservation, livelihoods and...
Account
Cart