The clocks go back tonight!

Most of the United States sets clocks back by an hour at the end of Daylight Savings Time every fall, and by an hour forward in the spring.  

When do the clocks go back in the US?

Daylight Savings Time 2020 ends in the US on Sunday, November 1. At 2:00AM, clocks should be set back one hour for more daylight hours in the wintertime.

When do the clocks go forward in the US? 

Daylight saving time returns at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, March 14. 

What is Daylight Savings Time?

Daylight Savings Time is the process of setting clocks back one hour during the spring so that the evening daylight lasts longer during the day while sunrise hours are subsequently reduced.

The origins of Daylight Savings Time are generally thought to go back to the ideas of William Willett, an English builder who proposed the modern concept of Daylight Savings Time in 1907 as a way to enjoy the extra daylight in the summer months and save money.

Willett lobbied the British Parliament extensively but ironically passed away shortly before its adoption by Germany, the UK and many other European countries in 1916 and elsewhere in the years that followed. 

Which states do not participate in DST?

Although most parts of the United States observe Daylight Savings Time, it is not practiced in Arizona (except on Navajo tribal lands), Hawaii and the United States territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.

What year did Daylight Savings Time start in the US?

Daylight Savings Time was adopted in the United States in 1918 but was repealed in 1919 due to the end of World War I and its widespread unpopularity among the American public, although states and cities had the option to observe it should they choose to.

President Franklin Roosevelt reinstituted Daylight Savings Time from February 9, 1942 until September 30, 1945.

Due to confusion of some states and cities continuing to observe Daylight Savings Time in the ensuing years, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to establish a uniform Daylight Savings Time in each time zone, exempting states which chose to stay on standard time. Since then, it’s been observed by most states in the country. 

Benefits and drawbacks of Daylight Savings Time 

Proponents of DST say that adding an extra hour of sunshine in the evening motivates people to get out of the house and do something active, therefore helping with health and fitness levels, as well as increasing Vitamin D consumption as less artificial light is needed. This also saves on energy costs. 

However, studies have found that in modern day society, energy costs actually tend to increase due to extended use of air conditioning units and computers.

But the biggest argument against Daylight Savings Time is that it disrupts our body clocks or circadian rhythm, which in some cases can be dangerous. The risk of suffering a heart attack increases when DST begins, while an extra hour of darkness has also been linked to depression