There is a familiar saying: “Spring forward; Fall back,” shared to remind people to set their clocks forward one hour in spring, at the start of Daylight Saving Time, and one hour back in fall, when Daylight Saving Time ends in November. On March 12, much of the United States and the rest of the world will be starting Daylight Saving Time again, losing an hour of sleep but gaining precious daylight in the waking hours.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) was introduced to extend evening daylight during the longer days of spring and summer. The idea of DST was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784 and has been widely adopted by many countries.

In the United States, “Daylight Saving Time is not observed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and most of Arizona (excluding the Navajo nation passing through Arizona)” (U.S. Department of Transportation).

The necessity of DST is definitely a debate. Some people argue that it conserves energy, reduces traffic accidents, and provides more daylight in the evening for recreational activities, while others argue that it causes confusion, disrupts daily routines, and may have a negative impact on health.

The best way to prepare for DST is to wake up at the new time and not take additional naps during the day. This semi-annual event is also a good time to remember to check smoke detectors and other safety equipment and plan ahead.

In March 2022, the U.S. Senate approved a bill called the Sunshine Protection Act to make DST permanent in the country, starting in November 2023. According to Sleep Foundation, “While the Sunshine Protection Act still requires approval by the House and President Biden to become law, the bill could mean major shifts in our clocks, daylight exposure, and sleep. As of February 2023, however, the House had not discussed or voted upon the bill since the Senate passage.”