Morocco Debates Permanent End to Daylight Saving Time Amid Health Concerns

In a written question addressed to the Head of Government, MP Fatima Tamni, from the Democratic Left Federation, asks for a permanent return to "normal" time, emphasizing that according to numerous studies, the time change has harmful effects on productivity and mental health, particularly in children. "Isn’t it contradictory to justify this decision by energy savings, while refusing to publish the complete study on which you based your decision?" questions Tamni, who asks the government what measures it intends to implement "to respond to Moroccans’ demands regarding these time changes that exhaust them and harm their daily lives."

As a reminder, the maintenance of the legal time in force in Morocco (GMT+1) had been decided by Saadeddine El Othmani’s government. A decision motivated by "imperatives related to energy consumption" and "energy security." In a long report published recently, The Economist informs that according to studies, "the costs are surprisingly high, not only because of immediate disruptions in daily life, but also due to the long-term biological consequences of a mismatch with the solar cycle." Given the harmful effects of this time change on citizens’ health and life (sleep disorders, strokes, overdoses, fatal road accidents), the weekly recommends abolishing daylight saving time.

A study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine published in 2024 confirms that imposing daylight saving time creates a mismatch between the human circadian rhythm and natural morning light, essential for "resetting" the biological clock and regulating body temperature, heart rate, and cortisol levels, a hormone that helps maintain alertness. "The extra hour of light in the evening does not compensate for this morning loss; it even worsens the problem. Greater exposure to evening light further disrupts falling asleep," the magazine details. It is up to the Moroccan government to make the necessary decision and abandon daylight saving time, as Mexico and Russia have already done.