It’s time for Texas to stop switching back-and-forth twice a year between daylight saving time (DST) and standard time. The change is disruptive and unpopular, to say the least.

As more than a few studies note, the biannual clock change induces small but widespread health effects, including what’s known as social jetlag. The term refers to the reaction observed in people’s bodies that are similar to travel-related jetlag, which stems from a person’s circadian rhythm (or internal clock) being thrown off.

Side effects related to social jetlag can include things like: an increased risk of obesity, heart attack, vehicular and work-related accidents leading to the possible loss of productivity both at work and in the classroom.

In addition to fatigue-related problems, the general public appears to dislike the one-hour time change too. Consider a 2019 poll conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago determined that 71% of those polled wish to stop changing their clocks twice a year.

One thing is clear: It’s time for a change. We need to reconsider how we set our clocks and stop the constant switching.

Whether that means adopting permanent DST, making permanent standard time, or taking some other approach, the time is now for a big change. Let’s end the federal government’s time change mandate and forge a new path forward that is befitting of the Lone Star State.