Daylights Saving time is finally here. The clocks will be moving forward one hour on Sunday, meaning that we lose a full hour of sleep.
Specifically, Daylight Saving officially begins at 2 am on Sunday the 11th; clocks will jump forward to 3 am. (It's best to set your clocks ahead before going to bed, though, to ensure you don't wake up too late.)
Each year, the clocks move forward one hour in March and back one hour in October. According to a recent CNN article, while some are highly opposed to Daylight Saving Time, a majority of America (55%), aren't "disrupted" at all by it. This is according to a Princeton Survey Research Survey, which revealed only 13% believe it is a "major disruption."
How Did DST Start?
The idea for Daylight Saving Time (DST) was proposed in 1985 by astronomer George Hudson to give people more sunlight in the summer, according to CGP Grey. The Miami Herald reports, however, that DST was a tradition started by Benjamin Franklin to conserve energy. (He thought rising an hour early would help conserve candles.) DST was first practiced in 1918. It was recognized nationally in 1966.
According to a recent article in the Miami Herald, Floria has issued a proposal to switch to daylight saving time year-round. If this happened, the state run on a different time than big cities like New York City and Washington DC.
The Herald notes many issues that would ensue if the proposal was approved. "It could play havoc with your TV viewing habits when sports events start an hour later or the New Year’s Eve ball-drop in Times Square occurs at 1 a.m. FT — Florida Time — instead of midnight. “Saturday Night Live” would be more like “Sunday Morning Live” at 12:30 a.m., and Golden State Warriors games at 11:30 p.m. might mean no more Steph Curry three-pointers for the bleary-eyed..."
Conerns & Benefits
The Department of Transportation believes that DST saves energy and reduces crime. They argue that people drive more when it's light, and there are therefore fewer accidents. They also say that since people are out while its bright out than at night, criminal activity is reduced.
Health.com, meanwhile, points out that DST can have many effects on the body. The outlet reports that the weeks immediatley following DST in March "carry unique risks for women", including higher "miscarriage rates were much higher for women in this group whose embryo transfers were conducted within 21 days of the start of DST, compared to those whose transfers were conducted the rest of the year." The incidence of heart attacks also reportedly increase by 25% after the first Monday that Daylight Saving starts.
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