During the night of Saturday to Sunday daylight saving time will start: the clock will move forward one hour. The discussion to get rid of daylight saving time has been going on for many years. NU.nl asked the experts about their opinion.
“I think we can better repeal daylight saving time”, states researcher of human chronobiology at the University of Groningen Marijke Gordijn. “Scientifically, there is enough proof that shows the majority of the population suffers from the the transition.”
“Advantages have never been proven or demonstrated, the disadvantages have”, says Gordijn. Daylight saving time has negative effects on health. “Daylight saving time accompanies short-term issues, sleep deprivation and thus leads to health issues in the long term.”
In 2001 the European Parliament decided to introduce daylight saving time in Europe. Agriculture, tourism and transportation have their activitities well synchronized with this time. Furthermore, it made it easier for people to “exploit their hobbies under comfortable circumstances”. Also, daylight saving time leads to energy conservation.
Gordijn, also director at Chrono@work, thinks the idea that daylight saving time provides an hour of light is prevelant. “But this is a sophism; you don’t create an extra hour of light. We have simply shifted our workday.”