Maryland sleep specialist weighs in on proposed daylight saving time changes

A proposal to make daylight saving time permanent is raising concerns among Maryland sleep specialists who say the change could disrupt the body's natural sleep-wake cycle.

The Sunshine Protection Act would eliminate the twice-a-year clock change and keep daylight saving time in place year-round. Supporters say it would provide more evening sunlight, but doctors warn it would also mean darker mornings.

Dr. Alpen Patel, Otolaryngologist and sleep specialist with LifeBridge Health, said the body's circadian rhythm depends largely on two natural cues: morning sunlight and the evening release of melatonin.

Moving sunrise and sunset an hour later could interfere with those cues, affecting sleep quality, alertness and overall health.

"Now you don't have as much morning light, and you have more evening light," Patel said. "From a health perspective and from a sleep standpoint, quality of sleep and quantity of sleep, as well as quality of life, it's not any good at all."

Dr. Patel said morning sunlight helps signal the brain that it is time to wake up, while melatonin helps prepare the body for sleep at night. Disrupting those natural signals can make it harder for some people to fall asleep, wake up feeling rested, and stay alert during the day.

Many sleep medicine experts support ending seasonal clock changes but say permanent standard time would be the healthier option. The bill has passed the House and now moves to the Senate.