As the debate over daylight saving time reignites in Morocco, a national campaign and an online petition have emerged, urging a return to Greenwich Mean Time due to concerns over the negative impact on health and performance. Health expert Tayeb Hamdi highlights the biological disruptions caused by clock changes and emphasizing the potential risks to mental and physical well-being. DR ‹ › In recent days, the debate over daylight saving time in Morocco has resurfaced strongly, coinciding with the launch of civil initiatives calling for its review. Last week, the «National Campaign for Returning to Legal Time» announced the launch of a legal petition starting Friday, March 27, 2026, calling for a return to legal time (Greenwich Mean Time). An online petition was also launched on the platform «Change.org», which has so far gathered around 333,222 signatures. The initiators argue that this movement was sparked by the «negative impact of the additional hour on academic and professional performance, as well as on mental and physical health». In this context, Tayeb Hamdi, a doctor and researcher in health policies and systems, told Yabiladi that changing the clock, whether by adding or subtracting an hour, has a direct impact on the human body. Hamdi stressed the need to distinguish between two different situations, explaining that «there is a difference between a person living with a fixed time throughout the year and another who experiences a time change at a certain period of the year, as is the case in Morocco during Ramadan, or when traveling to a country with a different time zone». Varied adaptation and multiple disorders The expert explained that any change in time affects the body's biological clock. He added that the impact is more severe when switching from winter to summer time than the other way around, due to the loss of one hour of sleep and the advancement of the biological rhythm, which disrupts bodily functions. Individuals' ability to adapt varies, with Hamdi noting that «while some need a few days, it may take weeks for others, especially children and adolescents, the elderly, night workers, and those already suffering from sleep disorders». «The impact of changing the clock is not limited to fatigue or drowsiness; it extends to sleep and wakefulness disorders, reduced attention and concentration, which may increase the risk of traffic and workplace accidents. It may also lead to insomnia, appetite disorders, and feelings of hunger at unusual times». Hamdi warned that these changes can also affect mental health, causing irritability and mood disorders, and in some cases depression, in addition to increasing risks such as strokes and heart attacks. He added that these disruptions can also impact the body's immunity, memory, and overall psychological balance. Daylight saving time and the biological clock Despite Morocco's near-permanent adoption of daylight saving time, Hamdi believes this choice does not align with the human body's natural rhythm. «Naturally, a person should wake up in daylight and sleep in darkness, not the other way around», he explained. He emphasized that natural light plays a crucial role in regulating the biological clock, particularly through the hormone «melatonin», which governs sleep and is influenced by light exposure, affecting brain activity, body temperature, and heart health. He pointed out that scientific studies have shown a 25% increase in heart attacks in the days following the transition to daylight saving time, especially on Mondays, compared to other days of the year. Another study recorded a 22% rise in hospital admissions for heart rhythm disorders after the change. By contrast, no such increase is observed when returning to winter time, which is considered closer to solar time and more aligned with human physiology. Which time is best? Assessing the available options, Hamdi explains that maintaining winter time year-round remains the most suitable choice from a health perspective, as it respects the body's natural rhythm. This is followed by permanent daylight saving time, despite the challenges it poses for sleep and wakefulness. Changing the clock twice a year, as practiced in several countries, combines the drawbacks of daylight saving time with the disruption caused by repeated adjustments. According to the expert, Morocco's situation is further complicated by the clock being changed twice within a short period during Ramadan, leaving insufficient time for the body to adapt. Hamdi concludes that the current system, despite its economic and organizational justifications, remains the least suitable from a health standpoint, raising renewed questions about its cost to public health amid growing calls for reconsideration.
