Every spring we set our clocks forward an hour, and every fall we set them back, but why? Learn the real story behind Daylight Saving Time.
Back in March, we had to "spring forward," and soon we'll have to "fall back."
As Daylight Saving Time nears its end, South Florida — along with the rest of the United States — will soon be turning the clocks back a full hour.
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Here's a look at everything you need to know as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end:
When is Daylight Saving Time?
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In the states that observe it, Daylight Saving Time lasts for a total of 34 weeks, running from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Earlier this year, Daylight Saving Time began on March 13 when Americans set their clocks one hour ahead. On Nov. 6, Americans will set their clocks back, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 resulted in an extension of Daylight Saving Time from previous years. Before that, the clocks sprung ahead on the first Sunday in April and were turned back on the final Sunday in October.
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Is Daylight Saving Time Permanent?
The Senate unanimously passed legislation earlier this year to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
According to Reuters, at least 30 states have introduced legislation to end the practice of changing times each year, and Rep. Frank Pallone cited a study that suggested 71% of Americans are in favor of ending the time change each year.
Supporters of the bill, including co-sponsor Sen. Marco Rubio, said that giving children an additional hour of sunlight after school will allow for safer trips home, more time spent outdoors and other health benefits.
Rubio even argued that there would be economic benefits to such a change.
However, according to a July article from The Hill, the bill has hit a "brick wall" in the House.
“We have so many other priorities, but it doesn’t mean because it’s not a priority that we’re not trying to work on it. We are,” Rep. Pallone said, later adding, “If we can accomplish anything, it wouldn’t be until the fall.”
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
What Are the Benefits of Daylight Saving Time?
According to the Department of Transportation, Daylight Saving Time has a number of benefits. The DOT's website highlights the following:
- It saves energy. During Daylight Saving Time, the sun sets one hour later in the evenings, so the need to use electricity for household lighting and appliances is reduced. People tend to spend more time outside in the evenings during Daylight Saving Time, which reduces the need to use electricity at home. Also, because the sunrise is very early in the morning during the summer months, most people will awake after the sun has already risen, which means they turn on fewer lights in their homes.
- It saves lives and prevents traffic injuries. During Daylight Saving Time, more people travel to and from school and work and complete errands during the daylight.
- It reduces crime. During Daylight Saving Time, more people are out conducting their affairs during daylight rather than at night, when more crime occurs.
Can Daylight Saving Time Affect Your Health And Body?
While many enjoy the extra hour of sleep, others dread the days getting shorter and darker. For some, the change can even have impacts on the body.
For years, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has been calling for a permanent switch to standard time, saying "there is ample evidence of the negative, short-term consequences of seasonal time changes."
Dr. Kathy Sexton-Radek, a consultant for the AASM Public Safety Committee and professor of psychology with a special interest in sleep medicine at Elmhurst College, said the time change can "skew or put off center the normal systems that trigger structures within our mind, within our brain that tell us through hormone cues and brain chemistry when it's time to be awake and when it's time to be asleep."
Such shifts can cause mood changes, fatigue, concentration issues, and more, Sexton-Radek said.
"Light is the most powerful timing cue for the human body clock,” Erin Flynn-Evans, who has a doctorate in health and medical science and is director of the NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory, said in a statement.
Flynn-Evans says shifting to permanent Daylight Saving Time in the winter would result in more darkness in the morning and more light in the evening, leading to misalignment between the body’s daily rhythm and the timing of routine social obligations, like work or school.
According to Sexton-Radek, mood changes, fatigue and an inability to concentrate are some of the biggest indicators that your body is not responding well to Daylight Saving Time.
"I think suddenly the sense of feeling annoyed or irritated because of something that was not detected might bring the person's attention to the idea that they weren't fully able to concentrate, the fatigue, perhaps a sleepiness was stealing some of their attention and their concentration ability," she said.
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What Can You Do to Make the Daylight Saving Time Transition Easier?
AASM recommends the following tips for managing the time change:
- Get at least seven hours of sleep (for adults) or eight hours of sleep (for teens) per night before and after the time change.
- Gradually adjust your sleep and wake times. Shift your bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night for a few nights before the time change.
- Adjust other daily routines — such as mealtimes — to match your new schedule prior to the time change.
Sexton-Radek also suggests using relaxation techniques to ensure you go to bed at the right time, such as calming apps or music, light physical activity like yoga or stretches or writing checklists to take tasks off your mind.
This can also be helpful not just in the lead-up to DST, but for those struggling with the adjustment, Sexton-Radek said.