Daylight Savings Time (DST) adjusts time by adding one hour to standard time. As a result, evening daylight increases by one hour. So, summer is the most useful time for this concept. Many countries extend evening daylight in spring and end it in the fall.
History of Daylight Saving Time
Since World War I, many European countries and the United States of America have used Daylight Savings Time. This decision happened to reduce the fuel use required to produce electric power. In April of 1916, Germany and Austria first implemented extended evening daylight. Many European countries followed suit soon after.
The USA adopted Daylight Savings Time in 1918. The first observation in the USA began on March 31, 1918, and spanned over seven months into 1919. After the war ended, a congressional override repealed the law implementing Daylight Savings Time. As a result, it became a local option. Some states or cities continued, while others quit altogether. President Franklin Roosevelt implemented a year-round Daylight Savings Time coined as War Time. This scenario lasted from February 9, 1942, to September 30, 1945. Then, from 1945 to 1966, no federal law defined it. As a result, states and cities regulated their own Daylight Savings Time at their own free will without guidelines. The free-for-all resulted in much confusion. Consequently, this caused difficulties for airlines, railways, bus companies, and even broadcasting industries.
The Uniform Time Act brought structure to the confusion of Daylight Savings Time in 1966. The act regulated it and only exempted states whose legislatures voted to keep the state on standard time. Many revisions to the original act transpired. Ultimately, Daylight Savings Time in the USA begins at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November.
Using Daylight Savings Time
The ultimate purpose of Daylight Savings Time is to conserve energy. On a smaller scale, consider ways you maximize the evening daylight benefits. Additional daylight in the evening potentially provides many new opportunities for better use of your time.
Some uses of this extra time may include more evening time with family and friends. With more daylight, you should get outdoors and increase your vitamin D intake from the natural sun in the evening. Use this time to make your morning easier by completing parts of your morning routine you can do the night before.
Do you need a topic to discuss with your partner during the extended evening hours? Make financial plans. Finding time to sit down and discuss your plans for your financial future is often difficult. Use this extra evening time to talk about life insurance.
Should DST still exist?
Professional studies indicated that DST is not saving energy but using more energy. Furthermore, the effects DST has on the human body are not healthy. Hundreds of years ago, people believed DST could save on candle usage. Yet, today’s DST for eight months of a year guarantees that heat and air conditioning use increases and electricity costs rise.
Then there are the health concerns. Adam Spira, PhD, MA, a sleep expert and professor in mental health says that research shows DST may cause heart attacks and strokes among other health issues. The irregularity of Spring Forward causes over 300 million Americans to lose sleep each year for long periods. The time switch to DST disrupts the circadian rhythm and sleep is negatively impacted so much so that the number of suicide victims rises. Adolescents are particularly adversely affected by DST. In 2015, researchers Medina, Ebben, Milrad, Atkinson, and Krieger discovered that students’ sleep suffered by an average of 32 minutes on weeknights after DST’s Spring Forward began. This lack of sleep resulted in significant daytime sleepiness.
It appears more people are beginning to realize the negative effects of DST and now favor permanent standard time. Additionally, in 2023, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine conducted a survey of 2,007 people across the nation and documented that 63% of Americans would prefer to eliminate the bi-annual time change and 55% report feeling tired as a result of DST.
Life Insurance Questions?
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