As they say, ‘to spring forth, is to keep a reminder to fall back’. In case of time, this stand true as well. As fall is already through and autumn has set it, Daylight Saving Time (DST) has officially ended in North America on November 3, 2024, when clocks fell back by an hour.
In most of Europe, meanwhile, daylight saving time, or British Summer Time as the U.K. calls it, ended on October 27, 2024.
Daylight Saving Time also known as DST (sometimes erroneously called daylight SAVINGS time) is set to begin again on March 9, 2025 in the United States of America, and on March 30, 2025 in most of Europe and the U.K., when the clocks will be moved forwarded by an hour.
What is Daylight Saving Time (DST)?
Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks to make better use of the longer daylight available during summer so that darkness falls at a later clock time. The typical implementation of DST is to set clocks forward by one hour in spring or late winter, and to set clocks back by one hour to standard time in the autumn (or fall in North American English, hence the mnemonic: ‘spring forward and fall back’).
Where is DST observed?
DST is not usually observed near the Equator, where sunrise and sunset times do not vary enough to justify it. Whereas, it is often not observed in places at high latitudes where a one-hour clock shift would provide little benefit because of the wide variations in sunrise and sunset times.
Only 34 percent of the world’s countries use DST. Some countries observe it only in some regions, in Canada, Yukon, most of Saskatchewan, as well as parts of Nunavut, Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec do not observe DST. DST is also observed by four Australian states and one territory.
In 2022, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted to make daylight saving time permanent, but the legislation stalled in the U.S. House. On March 2, 2023, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023 to the 118th Congress, but it has idled since then. In the United States, it is observed by all states except Hawaii and Arizona (within the latter, however, the Navajo Nation does observe it).
History of DST:
Historically, several ancient societies adopted seasonal changes to their timekeeping to make better use of daylight. Roman timekeeping even included changes to water clocks to accommodate this. However, these were changes to the time divisions of the day rather than setting the whole clock forward.
The practice gained momentum during World War I and was later reintroduced in World War II to conserve energy. It has continued to be observed in many parts of the country ever since.
According to David Prerau, author of "Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time" (Thunder's Mouth Press, 2005), Benjamin Franklin is owed the credit of coming up with the idea to reset clocks in the summer months as a way to conserve energy. In a satirical letter to the editor of the Journal de Paris in 1784, Franklin suggested that if Parisians could only wake up earlier in the summer they would economize on candle and oil usage, but he did not propose changing the clocks. However, Franklin wrote, quite wittily, in his letter rejoicing over his ‘discovery’ that the sun provides light as soon as it rises.
In 1895, New Zealand entomologist and astronomer George Hudson made the first realistic proposal to change clocks by two hours every spring to the Wellington Philosophical Society, but this was not implemented until 1928 and in another form. In 1907, William Willett proposed the adoption of British Summer Time as a way to save energy; although seriously considered by Parliament, it was not implemented until 1916.
The first implementation of DST was by Port Arthur (now merged into Thunder Bay), in Ontario, Canada, in 1908, but only locally, not nationally.
The first nation-wide implementations were by the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, both starting on 30 April 1916. Since then, many countries have adopted DST at various times, particularly since the 1970’s energy crisis.
Purpose of DST:
The purpose of DST is to save energy and power by making use of extra daylight in the evenings. The idea of changing clocks with the seasons can be traced back to the late 19th century, when New Zealand entomologist George Hudson proposed it. The United States began observing DST in 1918 during World War I, and it was reintroduced during World War II. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardized DST in the United States, allowing states to opt out but not to stay on DST permanently.
DST in the United States typically begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
However, the actual energy savings and broader impacts of DST are debated. Some countries have abandoned or never adopted DST, citing minimal benefits or disruptions to routines. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine has also associated the shift in time with increased heart attacks, strokes, abnormal heart rhythms, sleep disruption, mood disturbances, and even suicide.
Some religious groups and individuals oppose DST because it can make religious practices more difficult. For example, Orthodox Jewish groups have opposed extensions to DST because it delays morning prayers.
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