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Daylight Saving Time: Activity Levels Unchanged, Study Finds
28 Apr
Summary
- Daylight saving time does not significantly change daily step counts.
- Activity timing shifts, but total steps remain largely the same.
- Study used Fitbit data from over a thousand participants across four states.
A recent study utilizing Fitbit data from 1,157 participants across four U.S. states challenges the notion that daylight saving time (DST) boosts physical activity.
Researchers found no significant difference in the total number of daily steps before and after the biannual time changes. While the timing of physical activity did shift, with individuals walking more in the evenings during spring and earlier in the day during fall, overall step counts remained consistent.
The study, which focused on Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah to leverage Arizona's non-participation in DST, suggests that eliminating time changes would not substantially alter people's activity levels.
Specifically, evening walkers did not significantly increase their steps during DST, and morning walkers adapted their routines. Neutral walkers adjusted their activity based on daylight, walking more in the morning during fall and in the evening during winter.
These findings, published on April 23, 2026, in Nature Health, indicate that DST's purported public health benefit of increased activity may not be realized, and suggest further investigation into whether time changes disproportionately affect certain groups.
