Science of Time Change: Creation of free educational videos on the implications of Time Change Policy

2022 Community Sleep Health and Public Awareness Grant

Karin Johnson, MD
Save Standard Time

Key Project Outcomes

Save Standard Time created 12 high-quality videos, entitled The Science of Clock Change, to be used for education and advocacy for Permanent Standard Time. These videos can be found at youtube.com/@savestandard. The material for these videos was created by a team of physicians, scientists, and lay advocates, and the videos were edited by New York Sound and Motion.

The first video, Making the Case, provides a concise summary of why science and history support permanent Standard Time. Three of the videos provide background information on the history of daylight saving time, and understanding circadian rhythms and circadian research. The rest of the videos discuss the short and long-term effects of daylight saving time on health, mental health, obesity and society outcomes including work, school, driving and energy consumption.

These videos are being shared by multiple societies and organizations including the AASM, Sleep Research Society, Society for Research on Biological Rhythms and National Sleep Foundation as well as through social and print media. They have provided a tool to educate advocates and legislators. The efforts on this project have also help to bolster multisociety collaboration which has led to the formation of a Permanent Standard Time coalition which will continue this important work.