Most Americans, including Illinois residents, will move their clocks forward one hour this weekend, signaling warmer temperatures and brighter days to come.
The official time change will take place on Sunday at 2 p.m. when clocks will move forward at 3 a.m. in states that observe daylight savings time.
Under the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which amended the Uniform Time Act of 1966, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March each year. Under the law, that time change will be in effect until the first Sunday of November.
According to officials, the change will push sunset to around 7 p.m., a barrier that will be broken on St. Patrick’s Day next week. While we’ll see more hours of daylight, it will come with a tradeoff – one less hour of sleep.
Here’s what you need to know about DST, including its background, the controversy surrounding it, and how to deal with missing out on some important sleep time.
When does daylight saving time start?
Under the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which amended the Uniform Time Act of 1966, daylight saving time would begin on the second Sunday of March, which would fall on March 12 in 2023.
There will be a change in time from 2 pm.
At that point, clocks will jump directly to 3 AM, which differs from the autumn time change when clocks “go back” to 1 AM at the conclusion of daylight savings time.
When does daylight saving time end?
Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. on November 5, 2023, in what is known as the annual “fall back”.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time is the change of clocks that usually begins in the spring and ends in the fall often referred to as “spring forward” and “fall back”.
Under the terms of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November.
On those days, clocks either go forward or backward by one hour.
But it was not always like this.
The clocks used to go forward on the first Sunday in April and remain that way until the last Sunday in October, but a change was made to allow children to trick-or-treat with more daylight hours.
In the United States, daylight saving time lasts a total of 34 weeks, from early March to mid-November in states that observe it.
Some prefer to credit Benjamin Franklin as the inventor of daylight saving time, when he wrote in a 1784 essay about saving candles and said, “Early to bed, early to rise will make a man healthy, wealthy.” and makes wiser.” But it was meant more as satire than a serious idea.
Germany was the first country to adopt daylight saving time on May 1, 1916, during World War I, as a way to conserve fuel. The rest of Europe soon followed.
The United States did not adopt daylight saving time until March 19, 1918. This was unpopular and was abolished after the First World War.
On February 9, 1942, Franklin Roosevelt instituted year-round daylight saving time, which he called “War Time”. It lasted till September 30, 1945.
Daylight saving time did not become standard in the US until the passage of the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which mandated standard time within established time zones across the country. It states that clocks will go forward one hour on the last Sunday of April at 2 PM and back one hour on the last Sunday of October at 2 PM.
States could free themselves from daylight saving time as long as the entire state did so. In the 1970s, because of the 1973 oil embargo, Congress implemented a trial period of year-round daylight saving time from January 1974 to April 1975 to conserve energy.
What happened to the Sunshine Protection Act?
Under legislation passed unanimously by the Senate last year, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, the seasonal change of clocks would be effectively eliminated in the US, except for parts of Hawaii and Arizona.
Despite passing the Senate, the bill remains stuck in the House, where it remained in committee until the end of the previous Congress.
Overall, views on a possible change vary.
The Sunshine Protection Act was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who suggested it would reduce crime, encourage children to play outside and reduce the risk of heart attacks and car accidents.
“There’s some strong science behind it that’s now showing up and making people aware of the harms of clock swapping,” Rubio said on the Senate floor in March, NBC News reported.
A 2020 study found that fatal traffic accidents in the US increased by 6% in the week after daylight savings began. Other studies have found that the switch to daylight saving brings small increases in workplace injuries and medical errors in the days following the change. Meanwhile, a 2019 study found that the risk of heart attack increased in the week after the clocks went forward, although other research did not find such an increase.
Overall research is mixed, however, with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine supporting the switch as opposed to permanent standard time, as research shows the body functions best with more sunlight in the morning.
Rep. Jan Schakowski of Illinois’s 9th Congressional District and AK said, “I’ve received calls from constituents who prefer permanent standard time because they have safety concerns for children who have to wait too long in the dark during the winter for the school bus.” have to wait.” Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where the bill currently resides.
Schakowski said she’s also heard from constituents who favor longer daylight hours and support permanent daylight savings time as a result.
While the Congresswoman said that there does not seem to be a consensus among voters, she added “We know that most Americans do not want to switch the clocks back and forth.”
According to the AASM, which is based in Illinois, standard time may be more aligned with our body’s internal clock.
“The daily cycle of natural light and dark is the most powerful time signal for synchronizing our body’s internal clock,” says the AASM. “When we get more light in the morning and darkness in the evening, our bodies and nature are better aligned, making it easier to wake up for our daily activities and easier to fall asleep at night. disrupts the internal clock, leading to sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality, resulting in negative health consequences.”
“More populous cities will also be affected by darker mornings—with permanent daylight saving time, sunrise won’t occur until 8:20 a.m. in New York City in January. In Los Angeles, sunrise in January will occur at about 8 a.m. and Minneapolis.” Sunrise will be around 9 in the morning.”
Which states observe daylight saving time?
With the exception of Arizona (although some Native American tribes observe DST in their areas) and Hawaii, nearly every US state observes daylight saving time. US territories, including Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, do not observe daylight saving time.
What is standard time?
According to the website Time and Date, standard time is the local time in a country or region when daylight saving time is not in use.
“More than 60% of the world’s countries use standard time throughout the year,” the site says. “The rest of the country uses DST during the summer months, typically setting clocks one hour ahead of standard time.”
According to the AASM, it is standard time that most closely matches our body’s internal clock.
“The daily cycle of natural light and dark is the most powerful time signal for synchronizing our body’s internal clock,” says the Illinois-based organization. “When we get more light in the morning and darkness in the evening, our bodies and nature are better aligned, making it easier to wake up for our daily activities and easier to fall asleep at night. disrupts the internal clock, leading to sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality, resulting in negative health consequences.”
Which is better? Here’s What Sleep Experts Say
Whether or not daylight savings time is made permanent, or standard time is scrapped, Dr. Cathy Sexton-Radek is an advisor to the Public Safety Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and professor of psychology at Elmhurst College with a special interest in sleep medicine. He said that changing the clocks can have a negative effect on the body.
The shift “can skew or shut down normal systems triggering structures within our brains that tell us, through hormone signals and brain chemistry, when it’s time to wake up and when it’s time to sleep,” she said. NBC Chicago earlier this year.
Sexton-Radek said such changes can lead to mood swings, fatigue, problems with concentration, and more.
“Light is the most powerful time signal for the human body clock,” Erin Flynn-Evans, who has a doctorate in health and medical sciences and director of the NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory, said in a statement. Permanent daylight saving time in winter would result in more darkness in the morning and more light in the evening, causing a misalignment between the body’s daily rhythms and the timing of regular social obligations such as work or school. For most people, it is difficult to fall asleep at night, disrupting sleep quality and leading to sleep deprivation, which can negatively impact health and safety.”
While legislation is currently on the table to make daylight saving time permanent, the AASM says it is permanent standard time that should be adopted instead, one reason being to ensure safety for the morning commute.
“For morning commuters and school-going children, the dark mornings caused by permanent daylight saving time pose a number of safety concerns,” the AASM says. “This would be particularly problematic during the winter months when days become increasingly shorter.”
According to studies, “excessive darkness during the morning commute may also contribute to increased traffic risk,” the organization says.
Sleep experts also argue that permanent daylight saving time in the U.S. Will “disproportionately” affect people living in the northern part of the U.S.
The AASM said, “parts of Montana, North Dakota and Michigan would not see sunrise until 9:30 a.m. during the winter months,” if the country adopted permanent daylight saving time.
“More populous cities will also be affected by darker mornings—with permanent daylight saving time, sunrise won’t occur until 8:20 a.m. in New York City in January. In Los Angeles, sunrise in January will occur at about 8 a.m. and Minneapolis.” Sunrise will be around 9 in the morning.”
The organization’s sleep experts say that seasonal time changes are counterproductive to overall health. According to the AASM, the changes have been linked to an increase in strokes, hospital admissions and cardiovascular events.
“One study specifically found a reduction in the rate of cardiovascular events during standard time, suggesting that the chronic effects of daylight saving time may lead to a higher risk of adverse health problems than standard time,” it Says
According to the Department of Transportation, there are many benefits to daylight saving time. The DOT website highlights the following:
- This saves energy. During daylight saving time, the sun sets an hour later in the evening, therefore reducing the need to use electricity for home lighting and appliances. People spend more time outside in the evening during daylight saving time, which reduces the need to use electricity at home. Also, because sunrise is so early in the summer months, most people will wake up after the sun has set, which means they turn on fewer lights in their homes.
- It saves lives and prevents traffic injuries. During daylight saving time, more people commute to and from school and work and get things done during daylight hours.
- It reduces crime. During daylight saving time, more people are conducting their affairs during daylight rather than at night when more crimes occur.
Which is correct: daylight saving time or daylight saving time?
According to thesaurus.com, the correct answer is: Daylight Savings Time.
“Daylight-saving time (singular savings) is the technically correct version: the practice is daylight saving,” the website says. “Nevertheless, daylight-saving time (with plural savings) is so commonly used that it has become the accepted version of daylight-saving time.”
Thesaurus.com states that the “s” at the end of the phrase may have caught on because the plural of “savings” is often used when referring to money — for example, a savings account.
“Then there is the question of the hyphen,” the explanation continues, “some omit it while others include it. We hyphenate because daylight-saving simultaneously modifies the word time that directly follows.”
How to prepare for daylight saving time
Believe it or not, daylight saving time doesn’t have to wreak havoc on your sleep routine. Fortunately, you can cope with the time change by making some simple adjustments to your routine. The best part? These expert-approved tips work equally well for kids and adults.
- Rethink your bedtime: “Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier, starting two to three days before the time change. This will help ensure you’re well-rested before the clock change, so no will also make the resulting ‘sleep date’ feel less extreme.” Candice A. said Alfano, PhD, director of the University of Houston’s Sleep and Anxiety Center.
- Shift your wakeup call: “A few days before daylight savings time, set your wakeup time 30 minutes ahead. This will narrow the difference and make it easier for you to adjust to the time change,” says Dr. Anna Krieger, medical director of Weill Cornell Medicine and the Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian.
- Readjust your routine: “Take advantage of your earlier start for the day, and shift your activities to an earlier schedule, including dinner, exercise, and bedtime,” suggests Krieger.
- Trick your brain: “The brain looks for visual cues to know what time it is. Another thing you can do is turn your wrist 15 minutes before daylight savings time each day to provide a visual cue.” Turns the time on the clock.”
How to deal with sleep loss from daylight saving time
So daylight savings time has come and gone and you’re feeling a little tired, huh? You don’t just have to grin and bear that fatigue. Here are some ways to help mitigate the effects of the time change:
- Avoid naps: “If you feel sleepy the day after the change, try to resist napping as this will reduce the amount of sleep pressure present at bedtime and may lead to long-term sleep problems. If you must nap, keep it to 15 to 15.” 20 minutes, ideally in the late morning,” Alfano said.
- Seek out sunlight: “Make sure you get plenty of sunlight the morning after your shift. Light has a powerful effect on our internal body clock and will help you feel less tired,” reveals Alfano.
- Watch your diet: “Avoid foods and beverages that will keep you up, such as caffeinated beverages, chocolate, or alcohol, for at least three hours before bed,” Ashe said.
- Set your kids up for success: “If you have kids at home, make sure they don’t leave any chores to complete in the morning before school starts because their brains will be foggy — or completely asleep — Early in the morning,” Krieger suggested.
- Avoid exercising too late: “Moderate to high-intensity exercise should be done earlier in the day, as late-night exercise can disrupt a good night’s sleep. During exercise, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, and when This happens closer to bedtime, it can also affect later sleep patterns,” Marc Alloa, PhD, global lead for behavior change at Philips Healthcare, told TODAY.
- Reduce screen time: “Light from devices can affect one’s circadian phase. If it’s time to sleep, our phase is shifting toward sleep and exposing ourselves to too much light at this time can make it difficult to fall asleep.” Screen time is also harmful enough to be enough. If the content we’re watching is activating and anxiety-provoking, that can interfere with emotions and interfere with sleep,” Aloia said.