Fall back, spring forward. Daylight savings changes twice per year. During the warmer months, we are allowed an extra hour of daylight in the evening. Then we lose an hour of daylight in the evening during the cooler months.
The history of daylight savings goes very far back, as daylight savings was first implemented in the United States in 1918 under the Standard Time Act, and was used to help save fuel costs during the First World War by adding an extra hour of sunlight to the day.
It is estimated that daylight savings time costs the U.S. roughly four hundred and thirty million annually. Daylight savings cost so much because there is an extra hour of sunlight between the end of the typical workday and bedtime, which induces people to shop and participate in outdoor activities for longer.
As of today, only two states don’t acknowledge daylight savings. Those two states are Hawaii and Arizona. In addition, the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands don’t change their clocks.
There are many benefits and drawbacks to having daylight savings. Interestingly enough, implementing daylight savings decreases the rate of crime. The reason for this is that clocks are moved further up, granting more regular daylight time. This means that there is “more daylight” where criminals believe they are more likely to be caught for crimes, deterring them from committing said crimes in the first place. A second benefit of daylight savings is that people are more active outside, leaving them with healthier lifestyles with an extra hour of time.
With there being many benefits, there are just as many drawbacks. Daylight savings can cause our bodies to be susceptible to disruptions to circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a twenty-four-hour cycle. Therefore, issues with our circadian rhythm increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and mood disturbances, and can make us less alert. This seems to counteract the aforementioned health benefits of daylight savings.
In reality, standard time is much better for our bodies and health. This is because our internal clock is better aligned with getting light in the morning, which in return sets us up for better sleep cycles. All in all, daylight savings is something we have grown to get used to and it’s a part of our everyday lives. Within the next few years, we could see changes regarding daylight savings and whether or not each state will decide to keep having daylight savings.
