Changing the clocks twice annually has a disruptive effect on individuals dealing with insomnia, according to a man from North Bay, Ontario, who suffers from the sleep disorder. Ken Porter, affiliated with the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, highlighted that even gaining an additional hour when daylight saving time ends can throw off his entire week. “That one-hour difference can significantly affect your productivity,” Porter noted. He shared his longstanding struggle with sleeping issues due to anxiety and insomnia, which exacerbate each other.
Porter emphasized the importance of maintaining good sleep habits, such as going to bed at a consistent time each night and avoiding cellphone use before sleep. However, the biannual time changes disrupt this routine, likening the experience to jet lag. The practice of adjusting clocks twice a year has been a subject of debate for some time.
In 2020, Ontario passed a bill aiming to make daylight saving time permanent. Yet, the implementation is conditional on New York and Quebec also adopting the change, delaying its enforcement. Recently, Ottawa Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde announced intentions to introduce legislation to eliminate time changes nationwide. Lalonde emphasized the need to address the issue, acknowledging the ongoing discussions among Canadians regarding the rationale for clock adjustments.
Despite these proposals, it is unlikely that any legislative changes will occur before the upcoming time change event this Sunday, when clocks are set to revert by an hour at 2 a.m., returning to standard time.