Daylight Saving Time is set to begin Sunday morning, which means everyone is springing forward in time.
What is daylight saving time?
It’s a period of time during the year in which clocks are moved one hour forward.
When does it start?
Daylight saving time officially begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11, 2018.
That’s when 2 a.m. promptly ceases to exist, becoming 3 a.m. and the spring forward will have begun.
When does it end?
Daylight Saving Time ends 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018.
Who does this apply for?
Most American states, although Hawaii, Arizona, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, Americana Samoa and the Northern Marianas Islands don’t do it. The reason they don’t do Daylight Saving Time is because the federal government doesn’t actually mandate that states observe it.
Daylight Saving Time is also practiced in most European countries.
Why does it exist?
According to David Prerau, author of “Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time,” Benjamin Franklin was the first person to come up with the idea, after noting that he was losing daylight during certain parts of the year by waking up at his usual schedule. One could be more productive, he argued, if they woke up earlier.
Germany was the first country to turn the concept into law, which it did during World War I. The United States passed a law standardizing the Daylight Saving Time start and end dates in 1918.
What are the benefits?
There are a variety of reasons for practicing Daylight Saving Time. People believe that it can help you save money on your energy bill (because you will be maximizing natural light time) and that it promotes active lifestyles (by having more daylight to do things in).
What are the downsides?
It’s confusing. When do you exactly turn your clock? Thankfully most cell phones, computers and other electronics will do the change for you, but you’ll still need to update your car, your watch and any other clocks you have in your home.
It mucks up your sleep schedule, too, which can have health consequences.
And remember, it’s Daylight Saving Time and not Daylight Savings Time.
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