The benefits of permanent daylight saving time vs. Standard time year round in ND

Bismarck, ND (KFYR) – Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 9, when we turn our watches forward for an hour at 2 o’clock local time. This changes sunrises and sunsets to be later, giving us less daylight in the morning, but more in the evening.

Many people do not like to change watches twice each year (especially when we jump in front of an hour in March, which usually causes us to lose some sleep). Plus, studies have shown that these time changes can interfere with our circadian rhythms, which could potentially lead to increased risks of heart attacks, stroke and other health problems. This is why most people have advocates for us to choose once and stick to it all year round. But the always controversial debate is whether to go with permanent summer time or permanently standard time.

First, let’s look at how they would affect sunrise and sunset times in larger western and central North Dakota towns. Below are these times for winter solar in December – when we have at least daylight, latest sunrise and earliest sunset – and for summer solar in June – when we have the most daylight, earliest sunrise and latest sunset.

At Winter Solverv we are currently observing standard time, but if we were to change to permanent daylight saving time, it would change sunset to be later and our sunrise to be very late in the morning, especially for those in the central time zone!

At Summer Solverv we are currently observing summer time, but if we were to switch to permanent standard time, it would change sunset to be earlier and our sunrise to be very early in the morning, especially for those in the mountain season!

One of the most important complaints about going to permanent summer time is how late our sunrise would be in winter, especially as the parts of North Dakota in the central time zone are on the western edge of that time zone. This means that Northern Central and Northwest North Dakota would have some of the latest sunrises in the country with permanent summer time at winter solar, between 9:30 and 10 am

Outside of North America and Europe, the practice of changing watches annually is far less common. About half of the world’s countries once observed summer time, but no longer do, with many countries that changed their policies within the last decade. And changes may also come to the United States.

In 2022, the US Senate unanimously approved the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make the daylight saving time permanently. It still has to be approved by the American House and signed by the President to become federal law.

In North Dakota’s legislative meeting of 2025, the State House adopted Bill 1259, which would make standard time permanent, but from the beginning of March it still has to be approved by the Senate North Dakota.

North Dakota’s Governor Kelly Armstrong said that if just North Dakota had to go to permanently standard time, it could be confusing for cities near borders such as Grand Forks and Fargo, and it could be better if neighboring countries also changed with us. It can also be confusing for the North Dakota section in mountainous time if we are always in standard time, but sections of Montana and South Dakota in mountain season still change to daylight saving time a year.

One of the reasons why North Dakota legislators are taking the approach to going to permanently standard time is because the law of federal uniform time from 1966 prohibits individual states from adopting permanent summer time. However, the law states that states can choose to exempt themselves to observe daylight saving time completely, as Arizona and Hawaii have already done.

Although individual states cannot adopt permanent daylight savings time, several laws or decisions that will be introduced if the Federal Sunshine law has been adopted or if the congress approves their request and surrounding states also go to daylight that save time year round.

Permanent Daylight Rescue Time Pros and Disadvantages

Supporters of permanent daylight saving time cite the financial benefits of longer daylight in the evening as well as reduced seasonal depression. On the other hand, critics claim that the change to later sunrises, especially in the winter, would force those who need to wake up early, including children and teens, to go to school and work in completely dark. Some organizations that study sleep science have also come out to permanent summer time in order to refer to its interference in natural circadian rhythms. In addition, the United States tried permanent summer time in the 1970s, but it was lifted rapidly when Americans expressed discomfort to the long, dark winter mornings.

Permanent standard time advantages and disadvantages

Researchers say that permanently standard time would better adapt to our natural sleep-waking cycle, which could potentially lead to improved sleep quality and reduced sleep deprivation. Lawyers also say that easier mornings could improve the safety of morning commuters and children on the way to school, especially during the winter months, where days are shorter. However, sunsets would be earlier in the summer, and some companies, especially those in the retail and hospitality sectors, say they may experience a decrease in evening traffic and sales if they are forced to close earlier. For those who are at the eastern edge of time zones, such as the section of southwestern North Dakota in mountain season, permanently standard time would mean sunrises around and even before 10 am. 4 for a period of summer, which some may see as too early.

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