‘Springing Forward’ Preparing For Daylight Saving Time
It’s almost here: Daylight Saving Time. On March 10, clocks will “spring forward” one hour at 2 a.m. in most of the U.S., this causes many people to lose an hour of sleep.
Since 2007, Daylight Saving Time has consistently run from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November.
Other than losing an hour of sleep, the time change also means the task of manually changing clocks. Nowadays, most electronics change automatically, but some household appliances still need a manual adjustment.
The Sleep Foundation reported that studies show that immediate adjustment to daylight saving time can result in a temporary spike in accidents due to driver fatigue. It may contribute to an increased risk of drowsy driving.
Sleep physician Dr. Abhinav Singh shared his tips with the foundation for adjusting to DST and warned that “spring forward” is a harder adjustment than our annual “fall back:” One of those tips includes getting a head start by planning 4 to 5 days prior. Additionally, going to bed earlier by 15 to 30 min each day starting seven days before the change. They also suggest banking your sleep and pulling up mealtimes by 15 min a day a week prior.
Daylight Saving Time Background
Written in 1784, Benjamin Franklin’s “An Economical Project,” laid some of the early groundwork for saving light according to the Farmer’s Almanac. The concept dates back even further when English architect William Willett proposed the idea in 1907 with his publication, “The Waste of Daylight.”
“It was whimsical in tone, advocating laws to compel citizens to rise at the crack of dawn to save the expense of candlelight,” the website mentioned.
There have been ongoing discussions about ending the practice of changing our clocks twice a year. Many lawmakers argue that providing more light in the evenings could benefit many Americans. Some regions do not observe Daylight Saving Time. Hawaii and most of Arizona are among them, as well as U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To keep things simple, seventeen states have passed laws to have Daylight Saving Time all year long. But first, these changes need approval from the federal government.
In March of 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to scrap the clock-switching routine. However, it has yet to pass the U.S. House of Representatives.
