Friends and neighbors, 

Congratulations to all who ran for office. It is not easy to step out of your comfort zone. Thank you and please stay involved; our government does better when we take part in the process. 

Daylight Saving Time 

It is the time of year when our days get shorter, darkness becomes longer, and our bodies begin to adjust to the coming winter.  The hardest adjustment from summer is our students especially after the disruption of Covid. 

As we adjust to the new fall routine, another adjustment comes along: the Daylight Saving Time Flip. The flip has shown increasingly negative effects on health, safety, and general wellbeing.

Twice a year, we set our clocks forward to “spring ahead,” then “fall back” six months later. This switch does far more harm than good as it is unnatural for our bodies and causes many issues for everyone – children, adults, even pets. Your circadian rhythm is your body’s natural 24-hour cycle, which is the first thing to be disrupted by the time shift, bringing poor sleep, mood changes, weeks-long cluster headaches, and hormone dysregulation. 

In the days following the switch, there are notable increases in health and safety issues among our older populations. Heart problems and car accidents, for example, have been documented to be higher during these flips who are increasingly found unnecessary. 

In the 2021 Session, I authored and passed a bill to eliminate the flip altogether which was signed into law. Minnesota, along with many other states such as Florida, has pushed back on the time change with this legislation, which is now awaiting federal legislation. As this idea builds more traction throughout the country, there could be an end in sight for this unhealthy time manipulation. 

Until the folks in Washington DC pass a federal bill allowing our MN statute to go into effect, we will still be setting our clocks back this Saturday night or Sunday morning. Remember to set your alarms and keep in mind that your body and your children need time to adjust to the change. 

If you have any legislative issues or questions you would like to chat about, please feel free to reach out to my office. You can send an email to Sen.Mary.Kiffmeyer@Senate.MN or give me a call at 651-296-5655.

Sincerely,

Mary