Time may no longer switch twice a year south of the United States border as Mexico’s Senate approved a measure on Wednesday that would end daylight saving time for most of the country.
If the bill goes into effect, it will stop the practice throughout the country, except for the area along the border, as the U.S. still switches its clocks twice a year — except in Arizona and Hawaii.
Sunday could now be the last time that Mexico turns its clocks back an hour, permanently moving the country to standard time.
“This new law seeks to guarantee the human right to health and increase safety in the mornings, ensure the well-being and productivity of the population, and contribute to savings in electricity consumption,” Mexico’s Senate said on its Twitter account.
The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill in March that would also look to end the practice of the daylight-saving time, but there has been no action on it in the House.
The tradition of setting clocks forward in the spring and back in the fall was first proposed over 300 years ago but became standard practice in most countries at the end of the 20th century. Since then, it has been a topic of debate as to whether or not it adds any value.
Some research suggests that the time shift is bad for people’s health, disrupting their sleeping patterns and circadian rhythms, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The study from the Journal suggests that a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, atrial fibrillation, and potentially car accidents comes with the time shift.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine found nearly two-thirds of participants supported remaining on standard time, according to a survey.
Even still, there is some support for the biannual time change among both lawmakers and the public.
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