Should We Get Rid of Daylight Saving Time?

You can barely lift your head off the pillow. Your body feels weak. All you want to do is crawl under the covers and sleep for 50 years.

Do you have a cold? The flu?

Nope. It’s just the first day of daylight saving time (DST), and you’ve lost an hour of sleep.

DST is observed in 70 countries, including most of the U.S. It begins on the second Sunday in March, when we move our clocks forward one hour. It ends on the first Sunday of November, when we change our clocks back.

Moving the clocks ahead gives us less sunlight in the morning and more in the evening. In other words, it stays light later.

That might sound like a bright idea. But many people aren’t so sure. A recent poll found that 40 percent of Americans would rather not set their clocks ahead each spring.

So should we get rid of daylight saving time?

You can barely lift your head off the pillow. Your body feels weak. You want to crawl under the covers and sleep for 50 years. 

Do you have a cold? The flu?

Nope. It’s the first day of daylight saving time (DST). You’ve lost an hour of sleep. 

Seventy countries use DST, including most of the U.S. It begins in March, when we move our clocks forward one hour. It ends in November, when we change our clocks back. 

Moving the clocks ahead gives us less sunlight in the morning and more in the evening. In other words, it stays light later. 

But a recent poll found that 40 percent of Americans would rather not set their clocks ahead each spring. 

So should we get rid of daylight saving time? 

DST got its start in the U.S. as a way to save energy during World War I (1914-1918). With an extra hour of sunlight each evening, the government believed, Americans wouldn’t use as much electricity to light their homes. In 1966, DST became permanent.

But today, it’s unclear whether DST saves energy. Some studies show that energy use actually increases during DST, because people blast air conditioning and drive more on sunny evenings.

And when we move our clocks forward in the spring, we lose an hour of precious sleep. This can be an especially big problem for kids, who need more snooze time than adults. More than 50 percent of kids already aren’t getting enough sleep, according to a 2019 study. That can lead to health problems—and just plain crankiness.

The tiredness doesn’t just affect kids either. During the first few days after the time switch, more adults suffer heart attacks and injuries at work. The number of traffic accidents jumps too, because there are more tired drivers on the road.

DST started in the U.S. as a way to save energy during World War I (1914-1918). An extra hour of sunlight each evening meant Americans wouldn’t need to turn on their lights until later. In 1966, DST became permanent.

But today, it’s not clear whether DST saves energy. Some studies show that people actually use more energy during DST. Why? Because they blast the air conditioner and drive more on sunny evenings. 

When we move our clocks forward, we lose an hour of needed sleep. This can be an especially big problem for children. More than 50 percent of kids already don’t get enough sleep, a 2019 study says. That can lead to health problems—and just plain crankiness. 

The tiredness doesn’t just affect kids. For a few days after the time switch, more adults suffer heart attacks and injuries at work. The number of traffic accidents jumps too, since more tired drivers are on the road. 

But fans of DST say it’s better for our health and safety in the long run. Some research shows that although car accidents increase right after the time change, they drop overall during DST. One reason is that people aren’t driving in the dark as much at the end of the day. There’s also less crime, because our streets stay lighter later.

And with longer days, we get more time outside—which lowers stress, improves memory, and gives us energy. Sunshine provides vitamin D, which boosts our mood and supports healthy bones. Plus, kids get more exercise, because they can play outside for longer after school.

So should we keep changing our clocks, or is it time to leave time alone?    

But fans of DST argue it’s better for our health and safety. Some research shows that car accidents increase right after the time change, but they drop overall during DST. One reason: People aren’t driving in the dark as much at the end of the day. Crime falls too, because our streets stay lighter later.

And with longer days, we get more time outside. That lowers stress, improves memory, and gives us energy. Sunshine provides vitamin D, which boosts our mood and keeps our bones healthy. Plus, kids get more exercise. They can play outside for longer after school. 

So should we keep changing our clocks? Or is it time to leave time alone?