Does the onset of daylight saving time trigger unhealthy consumer behaviors?

Researchers from North Carolina State University, University of Manitoba, Bern University of Applied Sciences, University of South Carolina, and California Baptist University published a new Journal of Marketing study that explores whether the onset of daylight saving time leads consumers to engage in unhealthy behaviors. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled "Spring Forward = Fall Back? The Effect of Daylight Saving Time Change on Consumers' Unhealthy Behavior" and is authored by Ramkumar Janakiraman, Harsha Kamatham, Sven Feurer, Rishika Rishika, Bhavna Phogaat, and Marina Girju. Changing clocks twice a year is a tradition for most people living in the United States, with the spring transition to daylight saving time raising the ire of many due to the loss of an hour of sleep.

Public policy makers are grappling with the question of whether to abolish the biannual time change and, if so, whether to make standard time or daylight saving time permanent. While sleep scientists call for year-round standard time because it best aligns with humans' circadian rhythms, many retailers and outdoor industries support permanent daylight saving time, arguing that longer sunlight in the evenings supports their business. It is thus crucial to further illuminate the consequences of the current policy to better inform policy makers, managers, and consumers.

This new Journal of Marketing study explores whether the onset of daylight saving time leads consumers to engage.