The true cost of daylight-saving time is a $672 million hit to the U.S. economy

By Charles Passy

Research suggests the U.S. loses more than just an hour of sleep when we spring forward by turning the clocks back

Did you remember to move your clocks ahead one hour Sunday for the start of daylight-saving time?

Daylight-saving time started this Sunday, which means Americans once again dealt with the "spring forward" ritual of setting their clocks an hour ahead.

But if you think that feels like an inconvenience, think about what some consider the real cost of this ritual - namely, a $672 million hit to the U.S. economy.

At least, that $672 million figure is what researchers at Chmura, a Virginia-based economic research and consulting firm, have estimated. They base this on the fact that the "lost" hour and the disruption of our sleep schedules contributes to medical problems and also results in traffic accidents and workplace injuries.

Indeed, Chmura breaks down the costs for everything. In the case of medical matters, for example, the firm estimates that expenses related to heart attacks resulting from the time change equate to $375 million, and stroke-related expenses add another $252 million.

"It's such a huge impact," Xiaobing Shuai, Chmura's vice president of research, told MarketWatch.

Other research has shown a similar financial toll tied to daylight-saving time. Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh, says the impact goes beyond just that "lost hour." She argues that switching to daylight-saving time ultimately plays havoc with our circadian rhythm - that is, our internal biological clock. In turn, that has long-term impacts on our health - and by extension, our wallets.

Given such concerns, to say nothing of the general inconvenience associated with daylight-saving time, it's no surprise that there have been a growing number of calls to abolish the back-and-forth clock changing. There's even been a federal legislative push - at one time led by then-U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio - though Congress has yet to enact anything.

'It's such a huge impact.' Xiaobing Shuai, Chmura's vice president of research

Of course, others suggest that daylight-saving time is a boon to the U.S. economy and to America in general. Studies have pointed to the fact it can contribute to a decrease in crime (criminals tend to prefer working in the dark) and an increase in retail sales (shoppers tend to prefer going out when the sun is shining).

And you'll find those who use the semiannual time shift as just a wake-up call of sorts - as a reminder to change the batteries in smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, clean or replace air-conditioning filters, and check that home fire extinguishers are charged and not expired, among other periodic tasks.

Bill Korman, a financial strategist and author of "The 168 Game: Time Ownership vs. Time Management," takes it a step beyond and just says it's a good opportunity to rethink your regular patterns - as in, the 168 hours of your weekly life.

"I personally love daylight-saving time because it's the start of spring energy," Korman said. "I'm able to reconnect with the daylight and emotionally transition into a higher gear that has so many payoffs personally and professionally."

Others remain not so enthused about the upcoming time shift.

"I've noticed it makes me very low energy because my circadian rhythm relies on the sunrise to really wake up," said Hannah M. Le, founder of Buckle Scrunchies, a hair-tie brand. Le says that her sleep is affected until May or June, when she is eventually able to adjust.

As much as the start of daylight-saving time prompts some economic researchers to raise financial red flags, Shuai, the Chmura vice president, says the real issue goes beyond that. Speaking directly about the medical problems associated with the change in time, he says that's not something you can just measure in dollars and cents since it's about human lives.

"For most people, that's more important than economics," he said.

-Charles Passy

This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-08-26 1505ET