Illinois Residents and Most Americans Prepare for Daylight Saving Time: Clocks Spring Forward on Sunday.
The time change, mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, will occur at 2 a.m. on Sunday, causing clocks to skip to 3 a.m. in states that observe daylight saving time. This shift signifies the approach of warmer weather and brighter days.
According to the Uniform Time Act of 1966, daylight saving time starts annually on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. This year, the time change will extend daylight hours until almost 7 p.m. However, this will also mean losing an hour of sleep.
This article covers everything you need to know about DST, including its history, debates over its usefulness, and tips for coping with the time shift.
What is the start date for daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time will start on March 12, 2023, the second Sunday in March, as established by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
The time transition will occur at 2 a.m.
During the transition, the clocks will skip to 3 a.m., which is different from the autumn transition, where the clocks are set back to 1 a.m. when daylight saving time ends.
When will daylight saving time end?
Daylight saving time will come to an end at 2 a.m. on November 5, 2023, during the annual "fall back" event.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time refers to the practice of changing clocks to create longer daylight hours during specific periods of the year. This change typically occurs in the spring and fall, with "spring forward" and "fall back" commonly associated phrases.
According to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. These days, clocks move either an hour forward or backward.
In the past, daylight saving time began on the first Sunday of April and lasted until the last Sunday of October. However, the change was made to extend the daylight hours for children's trick-or-treating.
In the United States, daylight saving time is observed for 34 weeks, from March to November, in states that observe it. While some attribute the idea of daylight saving time to Benjamin Franklin, his comment was meant as satire.
During World War I, Germany was the first to adopt daylight saving time in 1916 to conserve fuel. The rest of Europe followed shortly after.
The US adopted daylight saving time in 1918, but it was repealed after World War I. During World War II, Franklin Roosevelt introduced a year-round daylight saving time from 1942 to 1945.
Standardization of daylight saving time in the US occurred in 1966, with the Uniform Time Act mandating a standard time across the country. The Act stated that clocks would advance an hour at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of April and turn back an hour at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October. States could still exempt themselves from daylight saving time, but the entire state had to do so.
In the 1970s, a year-round trial period of daylight saving time was implemented to conserve energy during the 1973 oil embargo.
What is the status of the Sunshine Protection Act?
The Sunshine Protection Act, passed unanimously by the Senate last year, would effectively eliminate the seasonal changing of clocks in the United States, except for Hawaii and parts of Arizona. However, the bill has stalled in the House and remained in a committee until the expiration of the previous Congress.
The act was introduced by Senator Marco Rubio, who claimed it would reduce crime, encourage outdoor activities for kids, and lower the risk of heart attacks and car accidents. However, opinions on the potential shift vary.
Research has shown that fatal traffic accidents in the US rise by 6% in the week after daylight saving starts, and that the switch also brings small increases in workplace injuries and medical errors. However, the research on this is mixed. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports switching to permanent standard time, as bodies function better with more sunlight in the morning.
There are also concerns about safety, particularly for children waiting in the dark for the school bus during winter. While some people prefer longer daylight hours, most Americans do not want to keep switching the clocks back and forth.
The AASM believes that standard time may be more aligned with our body's internal clock, as the daily cycle of natural light and darkness is the most powerful timing cue to synchronize our body's internal clock. Daylight saving time disrupts our internal clock, leading to sleep loss and poor sleep quality, which can have negative health consequences.
Additionally, darker mornings with permanent daylight saving time would impact more populous cities, with sunrise as late as 9 a.m. in Minneapolis in January.
Which states adhere to daylight saving time?
Almost all of the United States follows daylight saving time, except for Hawaii and Arizona (although some Native American tribes in Arizona observe DST in their territories). Additionally, U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not observe DST.
What is standard time?
Standard time is the local time in a country or region when daylight saving time is not used. According to the website Time and Date, more than 60% of countries in the world use standard time throughout the year, while the remaining countries utilize DST during summer months, advancing clocks by one hour from standard time.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) suggests that standard time better aligns with our body's internal clock. The Illinois-based organization explains that the daily cycle of natural light and darkness provides the most potent timing cue to synchronize our internal clock. When we receive more light in the morning and darkness in the evening, our bodies and nature are better aligned, making it easier to wake up and fall asleep. Daylight saving time disrupts our internal clock, causing sleep loss and poor sleep quality, which can lead to adverse health consequences.
Here's what sleep experts have to say about whether permanent daylight saving time or standard time is better:
Dr. Kathy Sexton-Radek, a sleep medicine expert at Elmhurst College, warns that changing the clocks can adversely affect the body's natural systems, leading to mood changes, fatigue, and concentration issues.
Erin Flynn-Evans, director of the NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory, explains that light is the most powerful timing cue for the body clock, and shifting to permanent daylight saving time in the winter would lead to misalignment between the body's daily rhythm and social obligations like work or school, making it harder to fall asleep at night and negatively impacting health and safety.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends adopting permanent standard time instead, citing safety concerns for morning commutes and the disproportionate effect on northern states, where some areas would not see sunrise until after 9:30 a.m. during the winter months.
Furthermore, the AASM notes that seasonal time changes have been linked to an increase in stroke, hospital admissions, and cardiovascular events, with one study finding a reduction in the rate of cardiovascular events during standard time in particular.
While the Department of Transportation highlights the benefits of daylight saving time, including saving energy, preventing traffic injuries, and reducing crime, sleep experts argue that the chronic effects of daylight saving time may lead to higher risks of adverse health problems than standard time.
Which of these is accurate: daylight saving time or daylight savings time?
According to thesaurus.com, the correct form is "daylight saving time". The reasoning behind this is that the act of changing clocks in the spring and fall is intended to save daylight. However, "daylight savings time" (with an "s" at the end of "savings") has become so common that it is now an accepted variant of the correct form.
Thesaurus.com suggests that the use of the plural form may have originated because "savings" is often associated with financial savings, such as a savings account.
Additionally, there is debate over whether to include a hyphen in the phrase. Thesaurus.com chooses to include it, as "daylight-saving" is a compound adjective modifying the word "time".
How to Get Ready for Daylight Saving Time?
It's possible to avoid the disruption of your sleep routine caused by daylight saving time. Fortunately, you can prepare for the time change by making a few easy adjustments to your schedule. What's more, these expert tips work well for adults and children.
Rethink your bedtime: Candice A. Alfano, Ph.D., the director of the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston at the University of Houston, suggests going to bed 15 minutes earlier, two to three days before the time change. This will ensure you're well-rested before the clock change, reducing any resulting severity of the sleep debt.
Adjust your wake-up time: "Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier a few days before daylight saving time to narrow the difference and make it easier for you to adapt to the time change," advises Dr. Ana Krieger, the medical director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian.
Alter your schedule: "Take advantage of your earlier start to the day and adjust your activities, including dinner, exercise, and bedtime, to an earlier time," recommends Krieger.
Trick your brain: "The brain relies on visual cues to determine the time. To provide that visual cue, change the time on your wristwatch 15 minutes earlier each day before daylight saving time," suggests Ash.
How to Manage Sleep Deprivation Caused by Daylight Saving Time?
If you're feeling groggy after daylight saving time, don't despair. Here are some ways to help alleviate the effects of the time change:
Avoid napping: According to Candice A. Alfano, Ph.D., the director of the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston at the University of Houston, it's best to avoid napping as it can reduce sleep pressure at bedtime and create long-term sleep problems. If you must nap, limit it to 15-20 minutes in the late morning.
Get sunlight: Alfano suggests getting plenty of sunlight in the morning after the time change. Sunlight strongly affects our internal body clock and can help reduce fatigue.
Watch your diet: "Avoid foods and beverages that can keep you up, such as caffeine, chocolate, or alcohol at least three hours before bedtime," advises Ash.
Prepare your children: If you have children, ensure they finish all their work the night before school starts. "Their brains will be in a fog or fully asleep early in the morning," warns Dr. Ana Krieger, the medical director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian.
Avoid late-night exercise: "Moderate-to-high intensity exercise should be done earlier in the day. Late-night exercise can inhibit a good night's sleep," says Mark Aloia, Ph.D., the global leader for behavior change at Philips Healthcare.
Reduce screen time: According to Aloia, light from devices can affect our circadian phase, making it difficult to fall asleep. Screen time can also be harmful if the content is activating or anxiety-provoking, which can disrupt sleep.
The time change, mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, will occur at 2 a.m. on Sunday, causing clocks to skip to 3 a.m. in states that observe daylight saving time. This shift signifies the approach of warmer weather and brighter days.
According to the Uniform Time Act of 1966, daylight saving time starts annually on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. This year, the time change will extend daylight hours until almost 7 p.m. However, this will also mean losing an hour of sleep.
This article covers everything you need to know about DST, including its history, debates over its usefulness, and tips for coping with the time shift.
What is the start date for daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time will start on March 12, 2023, the second Sunday in March, as established by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
The time transition will occur at 2 a.m.
During the transition, the clocks will skip to 3 a.m., which is different from the autumn transition, where the clocks are set back to 1 a.m. when daylight saving time ends.
When will daylight saving time end?
Daylight saving time will come to an end at 2 a.m. on November 5, 2023, during the annual "fall back" event.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time refers to the practice of changing clocks to create longer daylight hours during specific periods of the year. This change typically occurs in the spring and fall, with "spring forward" and "fall back" commonly associated phrases.
According to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. These days, clocks move either an hour forward or backward.
In the past, daylight saving time began on the first Sunday of April and lasted until the last Sunday of October. However, the change was made to extend the daylight hours for children's trick-or-treating.
In the United States, daylight saving time is observed for 34 weeks, from March to November, in states that observe it. While some attribute the idea of daylight saving time to Benjamin Franklin, his comment was meant as satire.
During World War I, Germany was the first to adopt daylight saving time in 1916 to conserve fuel. The rest of Europe followed shortly after.
The US adopted daylight saving time in 1918, but it was repealed after World War I. During World War II, Franklin Roosevelt introduced a year-round daylight saving time from 1942 to 1945.
Standardization of daylight saving time in the US occurred in 1966, with the Uniform Time Act mandating a standard time across the country. The Act stated that clocks would advance an hour at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of April and turn back an hour at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October. States could still exempt themselves from daylight saving time, but the entire state had to do so.
In the 1970s, a year-round trial period of daylight saving time was implemented to conserve energy during the 1973 oil embargo.
What is the status of the Sunshine Protection Act?
The Sunshine Protection Act, passed unanimously by the Senate last year, would effectively eliminate the seasonal changing of clocks in the United States, except for Hawaii and parts of Arizona. However, the bill has stalled in the House and remained in a committee until the expiration of the previous Congress.
The act was introduced by Senator Marco Rubio, who claimed it would reduce crime, encourage outdoor activities for kids, and lower the risk of heart attacks and car accidents. However, opinions on the potential shift vary.
Research has shown that fatal traffic accidents in the US rise by 6% in the week after daylight saving starts, and that the switch also brings small increases in workplace injuries and medical errors. However, the research on this is mixed. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports switching to permanent standard time, as bodies function better with more sunlight in the morning.
There are also concerns about safety, particularly for children waiting in the dark for the school bus during winter. While some people prefer longer daylight hours, most Americans do not want to keep switching the clocks back and forth.
The AASM believes that standard time may be more aligned with our body's internal clock, as the daily cycle of natural light and darkness is the most powerful timing cue to synchronize our body's internal clock. Daylight saving time disrupts our internal clock, leading to sleep loss and poor sleep quality, which can have negative health consequences.
Additionally, darker mornings with permanent daylight saving time would impact more populous cities, with sunrise as late as 9 a.m. in Minneapolis in January.
Which states adhere to daylight saving time?
Almost all of the United States follows daylight saving time, except for Hawaii and Arizona (although some Native American tribes in Arizona observe DST in their territories). Additionally, U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not observe DST.
What is standard time?
Standard time is the local time in a country or region when daylight saving time is not used. According to the website Time and Date, more than 60% of countries in the world use standard time throughout the year, while the remaining countries utilize DST during summer months, advancing clocks by one hour from standard time.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) suggests that standard time better aligns with our body's internal clock. The Illinois-based organization explains that the daily cycle of natural light and darkness provides the most potent timing cue to synchronize our internal clock. When we receive more light in the morning and darkness in the evening, our bodies and nature are better aligned, making it easier to wake up and fall asleep. Daylight saving time disrupts our internal clock, causing sleep loss and poor sleep quality, which can lead to adverse health consequences.
Here's what sleep experts have to say about whether permanent daylight saving time or standard time is better:
Dr. Kathy Sexton-Radek, a sleep medicine expert at Elmhurst College, warns that changing the clocks can adversely affect the body's natural systems, leading to mood changes, fatigue, and concentration issues.
Erin Flynn-Evans, director of the NASA Ames Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory, explains that light is the most powerful timing cue for the body clock, and shifting to permanent daylight saving time in the winter would lead to misalignment between the body's daily rhythm and social obligations like work or school, making it harder to fall asleep at night and negatively impacting health and safety.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends adopting permanent standard time instead, citing safety concerns for morning commutes and the disproportionate effect on northern states, where some areas would not see sunrise until after 9:30 a.m. during the winter months.
Furthermore, the AASM notes that seasonal time changes have been linked to an increase in stroke, hospital admissions, and cardiovascular events, with one study finding a reduction in the rate of cardiovascular events during standard time in particular.
While the Department of Transportation highlights the benefits of daylight saving time, including saving energy, preventing traffic injuries, and reducing crime, sleep experts argue that the chronic effects of daylight saving time may lead to higher risks of adverse health problems than standard time.
Which of these is accurate: daylight saving time or daylight savings time?
According to thesaurus.com, the correct form is "daylight saving time". The reasoning behind this is that the act of changing clocks in the spring and fall is intended to save daylight. However, "daylight savings time" (with an "s" at the end of "savings") has become so common that it is now an accepted variant of the correct form.
Thesaurus.com suggests that the use of the plural form may have originated because "savings" is often associated with financial savings, such as a savings account.
Additionally, there is debate over whether to include a hyphen in the phrase. Thesaurus.com chooses to include it, as "daylight-saving" is a compound adjective modifying the word "time".
How to Get Ready for Daylight Saving Time?
It's possible to avoid the disruption of your sleep routine caused by daylight saving time. Fortunately, you can prepare for the time change by making a few easy adjustments to your schedule. What's more, these expert tips work well for adults and children.
Rethink your bedtime: Candice A. Alfano, Ph.D., the director of the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston at the University of Houston, suggests going to bed 15 minutes earlier, two to three days before the time change. This will ensure you're well-rested before the clock change, reducing any resulting severity of the sleep debt.
Adjust your wake-up time: "Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier a few days before daylight saving time to narrow the difference and make it easier for you to adapt to the time change," advises Dr. Ana Krieger, the medical director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian.
Alter your schedule: "Take advantage of your earlier start to the day and adjust your activities, including dinner, exercise, and bedtime, to an earlier time," recommends Krieger.
Trick your brain: "The brain relies on visual cues to determine the time. To provide that visual cue, change the time on your wristwatch 15 minutes earlier each day before daylight saving time," suggests Ash.
How to Manage Sleep Deprivation Caused by Daylight Saving Time?
If you're feeling groggy after daylight saving time, don't despair. Here are some ways to help alleviate the effects of the time change:
Avoid napping: According to Candice A. Alfano, Ph.D., the director of the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston at the University of Houston, it's best to avoid napping as it can reduce sleep pressure at bedtime and create long-term sleep problems. If you must nap, limit it to 15-20 minutes in the late morning.
Get sunlight: Alfano suggests getting plenty of sunlight in the morning after the time change. Sunlight strongly affects our internal body clock and can help reduce fatigue.
Watch your diet: "Avoid foods and beverages that can keep you up, such as caffeine, chocolate, or alcohol at least three hours before bedtime," advises Ash.
Prepare your children: If you have children, ensure they finish all their work the night before school starts. "Their brains will be in a fog or fully asleep early in the morning," warns Dr. Ana Krieger, the medical director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian.
Avoid late-night exercise: "Moderate-to-high intensity exercise should be done earlier in the day. Late-night exercise can inhibit a good night's sleep," says Mark Aloia, Ph.D., the global leader for behavior change at Philips Healthcare.
Reduce screen time: According to Aloia, light from devices can affect our circadian phase, making it difficult to fall asleep. Screen time can also be harmful if the content is activating or anxiety-provoking, which can disrupt sleep.