Spring forward Sunday

Daylight Saving Time (DST) provides an opportunity to change the clocks twice a year, once in the Spring and once in the Fall. The time shift, from DST to Standard Time is to coincide with how the seasons change and take advantage of the time that the sun shines.

During the Fall, traditionally the first Sunday of November, clocks are shifted back an hour, so essentially we lose an hour of daylight. When Spring comes around, though, the clocks are shifted forward an hour and we gain an hour of daylight. This year, we will be participating in the “Spring Forward” on Sunday, March 14.

The majority of the United States has chosen to change the time twice a year, but there is a lot of debate that surrounds the idea. In 2018, California voters chose to allow the state to discontinue this practice, but the state government has not followed through on that vote.

Not all countries follow DST and do not adjust the clocks at all. According to National Geographic, “in the United States, Hawaii and most of Arizona (excluding the Navajo Nation) as well as the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Marina Islands all opt out of daylight saving time.” Much of the world is split on the idea of DST or they have their own version of when they adjust their time, which may or may not coincide with the United States’ November and March dates.

When we “Spring Forward,” it can mess with our routines and our sleep schedules, but there’s a day for that. National Napping Day always falls on the Monday after DST, so this year it will be on March 15. The goal of this holiday is to encourage people to sleep more, because of the hour of sleep we lose after the time shift. Katherine Moreland, a Fairfield resident, said, “I didn’t know that National Napping Day was a real thing! I don’t mind anything that involves more sleep!”