Why do we spring forward and fall back with our clocks each year? Daylight Saving Time was a way to save fuel and make the most of sunlight during World War I, but it has stuck around.
It’s almost time for clocks to “fall back” one hour, allowing many people across the United States to gain one hour of sleep. On the first Sunday of November, at 2 a.m., clocks fall back an hour to standard time.
On the second Sunday of March, at 2 a.m., clocks in most of the United States and many other countries move forward one hour and stay there for nearly eight months in what is called Daylight Saving Time. The current March to November system that the US follows began in 2007, but the concept of “saving daylight” is much older. Daylight Saving Time has its roots in train schedules, but it was put into practice in Europe and the United States to save fuel and power during World War I, according to the US Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Pro tip: It’s Daylight Saving Time, with singular use of “saving,” not “savings.” Reasons for Daylight Saving Time The US kept Daylight Saving Time permanent during most of World War II. The idea was put in place to conserve fuel and keep things standard. As the war came to a close in 1945, Gallup asked respondents how we should tell time. Only 17% wanted to keep what was then called “war time” all year. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, we tried permanent Daylight Saving Time again in the winter of 1973-1974. The idea again was to conserve fuel. It was a popular move at the time when President Richard Nixon signed the law in January 1974. But by the end of the month, Florida’s governor had called for the law’s repeal after eight schoolchildren were hit by cars in the dark. Schools across the country delayed start times until the sun came up. By summer, public approval had plummeted, and in early October Congress voted to switch back to standard time. In the US, states are not required by law to “fall back” or “spring forward.” Hawaii, most of Arizona and some territories in the Pacific and Caribbean do not observe Daylight Saving Time. The twice-yearly switcheroo is irritating enough to lawmakers of all political stripes that federal lawmakers have tried to make Daylight Saving Time permanent over the past few years. New versions of the bill were introduced in the House and Senate this year. Why do we need Daylight Saving Time Studies over the past 25 years have shown the one-hour change disrupts body rhythms tuned to Earth’s rotation, adding fuel to the debate over whether having Daylight Saving Time in any form is a good idea. The issue is that for every argument there is a counterargument. There are studies, for example, that show we have more car accidents when people lose an extra hour of sleep. There are also studies that show robberies decline when there is an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day. We also know that people suffer more heart attacks at the start of Daylight Saving Time. But what about our mental health? People seem to be happier when there is an extra hour of daylight. Of course, there’s the economy, which pays for all that outdoor fun in the sun. Although saving energy was often put out as a reason to have Daylight Saving Time, the energy saved isn’t much — if anything at all. Instead, the lobbying effort for Daylight Saving Time came mostly from different sectors of the economy. In the mid-20th century, lobby groups for the recreational sports industry wanted more customers to come out after a day at the office. It’s easier to do so when there is more light at the end of the day. But the movie industry didn’t like Daylight Saving Time. You’re less likely to go to a movie when it’s bright outside. Despite the myth, farmers didn’t like it either because it made it difficult to get their food to the market in the morning. The bottom line: It’s not clear whether having that extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day versus the beginning is helpful. It just depends on who you are and what you want. And it doesn’t look like Daylight Saving Time in the US is going away anytime soon.
Business Economy And Trade Continents And Regions Daylight Saving Time Domestic Alerts Domestic-Health And Science Domestic-Us Politics Energy And Environment Energy And Utilities Energy Efficiency And Conservation Environment And Natural Resources Government And Public Administration Iab-Business And Finance Iab-Environment Iab-Industries Iab-Politics Iab-Power And Energy Industry Iab-Science International Alerts International-Health And Science International-Us Politics Legislation North America Politics The Americas United States
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The U.S. tried permanent daylight saving time—and hated itTom Hawking is a writer based in New York City. He writes about culture, politics, science and everything in between. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, Rolling Stone, and many other publications.
Read more »
Would you get rid of daylight saving time?Sophie is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science. She covers a wide range of topics, having previously reported on research spanning from bonobo communication to the first water in the universe.
Read more »
Daylight Saving Time 2025 Ends November 2: Time To ‘Fall Back’ And Leave Sunlight BehindFind out exactly when daylight saving time ends, the extact 'fall back date and which states observe, and which territories don't. Plan for darker evenings and an extra hour of sleep.
Read more »
Daylight Saving Time Set to End Next WeekendClocks are set to fall back an hour next weekend as daylight saving time concludes. This article provides information about when daylight saving time ends, its history, and global observance.
Read more »
Daylight Saving Time: Possibly the last one for Alaska?With daylight saving time falling back an hour on Nov. 2, one bill aiming to eliminate daylight saving awaits the state legislature.
Read more »
When To Turn Clocks Back This Weekend As Daylight Saving Time EndsDaylight Saving Time ends in North America on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 2 a.m. Here’s when to “fall back” and what really changes.
Read more »