Early work start times cause discomfort with time changes

A recent study by researchers at the University of Santiago de Compostela and the University of Seville reveals a link between early work start times and discomfort with seasonal time changes. The findings are based on a large public consultation organized by the European Commission in 2018, which received around 4 million responses from European citizens. The researchers, Jorge Mira Pérez and José María Martín Olalla, found that people who start work earlier tend to report more discomfort when the clocks change. They analyzed responses and discovered that higher latitudes corresponded with more negative opinions about the current time change regulations. Mira and Martín explained that their study treats the public consultation like a natural experiment. They focused on how various factors, particularly work start times and their relation to winter sunrise, influenced people's opinions. When considering the distance between these start times and sunrise, they noted that countries with earlier start times expressed more disagreement with the time change. The researchers believe their findings suggest that the existing time-change regulations attempt to balance the needs of those who work early and find it challenging, with those who prefer the current adjustments. They emphasized the importance of understanding how our physiological responses to light conditions play a role in shaping public opinions on time changes.