Last weekend, on Sunday, November 3rd, the majority of the US territory gained an extra hour, with clocks jumping from 1:59 a.m. back to 1 a.m. That’s because the Daylight-Saving Time (DST) – that started this year on March 10th, ended.
DST started in 1966 in the US, when Congress passed the Uniform Time Act – but it was first created in 1916 when Germany enacted it during World War I to save energy. The main goal of DST is to save energy during summertime. As the sun sets later and there is more daylight, there is consequentially a decline in the usage of energy in households and establishments. Although the reason behind the existence of DST makes sense, this method has proven to be inconvenient and is disliked by most citizens and healthcare providers – who are concerned about the constant change in the sleeping routine of an entire population.
Research made by the U.S Department of Energy reported that Daylight Saving Time saves only 0.5% of energy per day, and according to Forbes, in 2020 the American Academy of Sleep Medicine stated that having a year-around time would be more benefic for the population because it “aligns best with human circadian biology and provides distinct benefits for public health and safety.” Furthermore, they explained that DST “results in more darkness in the morning and more light at night, which disrupts the body’s natural rhythm.”
In addition to the professional opinions on the matter, students have also been complaining about DST. Students reported that they feel extra tired when the clock jumps back in November and that having that difference in time and the earlier darkness in their day make them feel overwhelmed and exhausted, as their bodies signal they should start slowing down for bedtime.
Out of the fifty states in the country, there are two, however, that don’t follow the same rules and have a year around time: Arizona and Hawaii. For Arizona, the reason behind it is the fact that having more daylight during summer meant that they had yet more hours of sun in their already hot desert, leading to more consumption of energy with air conditioning, whereas for Hawaii – because of its proximity to the equator, the amount of sun the islands get doesn’t vary much throughout the year so it didn’t make much sense to opt in in the DST.
There are about twenty states now that have been trying to follow suit and end the Daylight-Saving Time in their territory as well, but it hasn’t been approved by Congress yet. Until then, the majority of the country will have to continue dealing with and adapting yearly to the changes in the clock.