Season 8 | Episode 13
In this episode of Talking Sleep, host Dr. Seema Khosla welcomes Dr. Karin Johnson, Professor of Neurology at UMass Chan School of Medicine–Baystate and expert on circadian rhythm policy, to discuss two competing legislative bills addressing permanent time change in the United States.
Two bills currently before Congress present starkly different solutions: the Sunshine Protection Act for permanent daylight saving time and the Sunshine for Our Kids Act for permanent standard time. Both campaigns use compelling language that makes their position sound obvious, complicating decisions for policymakers and clinicians alike.
Dr. Johnson reviews the AASM’s official position on daylight saving time and what research reveals about time change effects—both short-term consequences of bi-annual clock transitions and long-term health impacts of permanent DST, particularly on adolescent mental health and circadian rhythm disruption. She explains what happened during the 1974 experiment with year-round daylight saving time and why that experience remains relevant today.
The conversation details both the Sunshine Protection Act and the Sunshine for Our Kids Act, including their legislative progress and specific provisions. Dr. Johnson clarifies which approach sleep medicine clinicians support and provides practical guidance on advocacy.
An intriguing discussion explores a proposed compromise to move clocks by 30 minutes and leave them there—why didn’t this gain traction? Dr. Johnson also reveals how industry influence shapes policy, discussing candy companies’ historical support for daylight saving time and other commercial interests that complicate what should be a health-based decision.
Dr. Johnson emphasizes that permanent standard time better aligns with human circadian biology, particularly for adolescents whose naturally delayed circadian rhythms suffer under permanent DST.
Whether you’re seeking to understand these competing bills, advocate for science-based policy, or interested in how medical evidence influences legislation, this episode provides clarity on a complex issue with direct health implications.
Join us for this important conversation about how sleep medicine can influence public health policy
Karin Johnson, MD is a professor of Neurology at UMass Chan School of Medicine-Baystate. She is the Division Chief of the Baystate Health Regional Sleep Program and lab director at Baystate Medical Center and Franklin Hospital. She is Vice President of the non-profit Save Standard Time and the Co-Chair for the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time whose founding members include American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Research Society, Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, Save Standard Time and National Sleep Foundation. In 2023 she was honored with both AASM’s Mark A. Hatfield Advocacy Award and SRS’s Public Service Award for her work on promoting permanent Standard Time. She testified before the US Senate Energy and Commerce Committee in April 2025 about daylight saving time.
