Daylight Saving Time: Will the clocks change in the US this weekend?

It’s almost spring again, which means the days are getting sunnier and progressively longer. This year the US will switch to Daylight Saving Time (DST) on March 12th.

On Sunday 12th March clocks are put forward one hour, early risers rejoice and those of us who hit the snooze button do so with at least a little light in our room.

Luckily for those who don’t like the time change, Daylight Saving Time may be permanent soon as Senator Marco Rubio reintroduced legislation that would make the time permanent earlier this month. The bill, called The Sunshine Protection Act, passed the Senate last year but got stuck in the House. Should the law come into force, the time would no longer change after a last change in March. If this is not the case, the time will be put back by one hour, as is usual in November.

When is Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight Saving Time, which occurs annually, begins Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 am EST (7:00 am GMT). By that time, the East Coast of the US and UK will be just four hours apart.

Most phones these days automatically take care of the time change, which helps you not feel totally disoriented the next morning.

Why are we doing this?

Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the USA and a well-known polymath, had the idea of ​​changing the clocks in the summer to save energy. The practice became widespread on March 21, 1918 to reduce the number of hours it took households to use lights and electricity.

In the US, it became a federal law in 1966, but some states waived Daylight Saving Time.

Arizona, American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands don’t lose an hour during their day — with the exception of the protected areas of the Navajo Indian tribe in Arizona, who observe the time change.

DST has become a topic of discussion in recent years as many have suggested that we no longer need DST and that keeping DST would result in longer days outside and a reduction in seasonal depression.

“I know this isn’t the most important issue America faces, but it’s one of those issues where there’s a lot of consensus,” said Senator Marco Rubio, one of the bill’s backers. “If we can pull this through, we don’t have to do this stupid thing anymore.

“Excuse the pun, but that’s an idea whose time has come.”

How does daylight saving time affect me?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, people sleep about 40 minutes less on average at night after the switch to daylight saving time.

dr Cleveland Clinic’s Harneet Walia said the best way to make up for that time is to do it prepare yourself the week before: “Start going to bed 15 to 30 minutes before your usual bedtime.”

The extra early-morning sunlight will also help your body adjust, but she said it’s best to avoid naps longer than 20 minutes to ensure your night’s sleep isn’t interrupted.

Just remember to schedule this Sunday’s events for that one friend later in the day who will inevitably use the DST as an excuse for being late.

The Monday after

As if Mondays weren’t hard enough, the lack of sleep and harsh sunlight after a long, dark winter can throw some people off balance.

A study by Pennsylvania State University showed that workers spend more time than usual on the Monday after the daylight saving time surf the internet for non-work related content.

Heart patients should also be careful, because Americans are already getting too little sleep compared to the rest of the world, which puts a strain on the heart. That’s according to a 2013 study by the University of Colorado acute myocardial infarctions up 24 percent this Monday.

The Journal of Applied Psychology published a 2009 study showing an increase in workplace injuries also on the Monday after Daylight Saving Time from 1983 to 2006.

When do we dive back into cozy pajamas and dark mornings?

Expect a little more peace for your hibernation on Sunday, November 5, 2022, when the clocks go back an hour.