Our bodies respond to light, not arbitrary clock settings, and the farther we drift from solar noon, the harder it is on sleep and overall health.
Every spring and fall, we shift the clocks, complain about how much we hate it, talk briefly about fixing it and then move on until the next round of disruption arrives.
So here’s your reminder: We really do hate the time switching, and Alaska has a real opportunity to stop doing it. would eliminate daylight saving time in Alaska and move us to permanent standard time. Before anyone panics about losing evening light: We live in Alaska.
Our summer days areno matter what the clock says, and no amount of clock shifting is going to preserve after-work hikes and bike rides year-round once winter arrives.disrupts sleep, affects health, throws kids off school schedules and leaves everyone scrambling to update clocks and appliances. Ugh. It’s an unnecessary annoyance with real consequences.
HB 229 proposes permanent standard time — “winter time” — which may not sound popular at first but actually makes the most sense for Alaska for two big reasons: our circadian rhythms and tourism. The reason it feels impossible to go to bed at 10 p.m. on a bright summer night is because, solar-wise, it really isn’t 10 p.m. During daylight saving time, our clocks are pushed two hours ahead of the sun. That disconnect matters.
Our bodies respond to light, not arbitrary clock settings, and the farther we drift from solar noon, the harder it is on sleep and overall health. Even on standard time, Anchorage is already offset from solar noon, but reducing that gap by an hour would help.
Under permanent standard time, a bright July evening at 10 p.m. would feel more like 9 p.m. — still light, still beautiful but a little more compatible with getting enough sleep before work the next day. The tourism industry often argues against standard time because it wants long summer evenings. But Alaska already has those. Between May and early September, daylight is abundant regardless of the clock setting.
From a visitor’s perspective, standard time may actually work better. Any tourist coming from the Lower 48 is going to naturally wake up early here — those from the East Coast are waking naturally at 3 or 4 a.m. They’re ready to start the day long before tours, businesses and attractions open. By the time Anchorage gets moving at 9 a.m., it already feels like lunchtime to many visitors — especially older travelers and families with young kids.
Meanwhile, tourism employees are often working against their own biology. When summer daylight and daylight saving time combine to make midnight feel like 10 p.m., people stay up later, sleep worse and struggle through early mornings. Aligning the clock more closely with natural light could make early starts easier for both workers and visitors alike.
The strongest arguments for daylight saving time really only apply during a few weeks in the fall shoulder season, when an extra hour of evening light can feel nice. But Alaska’s darker months are coming either way, and shifting the clocks doesn’t change that reality. So let’s stop waiting for Washington, D.C. , to act.
Alaska can make this decision for itself if we choose standard time. HB 229 would end the twice-yearly disruption and keep us on permanent standard time. It’s currently stuck in committee, but public support matters.
If you want to stop changing the clocks twice a year, let your representatives know you support HB 229.is an Anchorage-based parent, former oil and gas lawyer, and community builder who has opinions on just about everything and a desire to help Alaska become even more amazing. The Anchorage Daily News welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email
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