MIAMI — The return of daylight saving time means losing an hour of sleep this weekend.

Florida is among 19 states that have passed laws to end the twice-a-year clock change and make daylight saving time permanent. But Congress must approve the move before it can take effect.

The U.S. Senate has shown support for the idea in the past, including a push in 2022 by Sen. Marco Rubio.

“If we can get this passed, we don’t have to keep doing this stupidity anymore,” Rubio said at the time.

Supporters argue that more evening daylight could benefit tourism and the economy, especially in a state like Florida.

But many doctors say daylight saving time is not the healthiest option.

“Our internal body clocks follow the light and dark pattern, not a number on a clock,” said Dr. Alok Patel.

Researchers say the sudden sleep loss after the spring time change is linked to short-term health impacts. Studies show a spike in heart attacks and strokes in the days following the change, along with an increase in fatal crashes.

Dr. Megan Petrov, who has studied the effects of time changes for years, says switching back and forth between standard and daylight saving time disrupts the body’s natural rhythm.

“What we know is that this shifting back and forth between standard and daylight saving time is a detriment to our human health,” she said.

Researchers also say the time change can affect children, who may lose needed sleep that’s important for mood, learning and behavior.

Federal law does allow states to adopt permanent standard time without congressional approval. Hawaii and Arizona are the only states that have done so, meaning their clocks will not change this weekend.

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