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Comment by skrause | Hacker News Reader

> People on the late side of sunset across U.S. time zones were 11 percent more likely, on average, to be overweight and 21 percent more likely to be obese. Diabetes was more prevalent, and the risk of heart attack increased by 19 percent. Breast cancer rates were slightly elevated, too — about 5 percent higher than average.

And yet many people advocate the adoption of permanent DST, which would make that even worse for everyone...

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I can't argue with the data for the population, but just anecdotally I definitely am more active during DST. The fact that it's warmer during this period definitely helps some, but I mostly go to an indoor gym so it's not as big of a factor as someone who runs outside. It's just harder for me to be motivated to leave my house at 7 PM when its been dark for 90 minutes vs. if I've still got 2 hours of daylight.

Yes, but consider what this would mean during the winter. It would still get dark significantly earlier than in summer, and it would likely be dark when you wake up.

Speaking as someone from a non changing timezone, (Phoenix area) I can tell you I am much better rested than I was living where the time changed. I dont care if you fix the time at DST or ST, not changing the time is better for you IMO.

You're of course also from a quite southern area.

It looks like there is no good answer. I used to think syncing time with the naval clock with the appropriate offset for location would be great, so that the system drifts such that noon is always highest point in the sky would be great, but it has too many consequences (like when traveling and an hour isn’t an hour, or just syncing with other people)... so we’re stuck with a practical but less than ideal solution.

You haven't taken into account the difference between mean solar time and apparent solar time. The system you describe is essentially the old local mean time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_mean_time.

What is wrong with standard time?

People who play golf or engage in other outdoor activities like to maximize the amount of daylight hours after work. Instead of adjusting their work hours they have society and the government adjust the clock for everyone. Ideally the clock would be left alone but not everyone's employer is willing to allow for shifting one's work hours. Also schools aren't willing to seasonally adjust their hours so parents who want to maximize afternoon and evening daylight hours desire clock shifting.

DST was introduced in most countries during WW1 and/or WW2, to save fuel [1].

It _might_ be the case that golfers are the ones arguing to keep DST now, I havn't really noticed.

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time#History

Believe golf is usually played at dawn, which always kept it out of my purview.

Completely depends. Different people have different preferences. Different locations have different weather benefits for time of day. When I played golf I played during twilight almost exclusively.

This is only when it involves dueling with one's opponent

Depends on your location I guess. Sun sets at 4:20 in the winter in Seattle under standard. So if we had to choose just one, I think many people would rather push that to 5:20.

But do you want a 9 AM sunrise?

I'm stuck at the office either way. Give me the evening daylight so I can enjoy my off-work time.

As someone who lives in Seattle: I genuinely don't care what time the sun rises.

Since I work from home it doesn't bother me anymore. But I used to hate commuting before the sun rose.

I think I'd prefer a 9 AM sunrise in the winter over the 4:11 AM sunrise that we'd currently be having if we were on standard time in the summer.

Absolutely. I'd pick DST just to avoid this alone.

Sounds good!

We could make that work with the tech we have these days. For example, meeting people at point A from points B and C, agree upon a time, then use google maps to tell you when to depart to arrive at point A at the agreed upon time.

On the other hand that would meant that people in Spain are worse off than people in Portugal or England. Is that the case?

Yes: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/22/spania...

As someone who would prefer to stay on regular time I’d love to agree with you. Unfortunately, I don't think that argument holds. Switching to DST will make the sun set even later, but it also will make it rise later and move people's morning appointments back.

People tend to schedule meetings based on the time of day, not the sun. A 9am DST meeting is the same, sun-wise, as an 8am non-DST meeting.

Worse than twice-yearly upheavals?

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