On Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m., it’s time to “spring forward” and observe the start of daylight saving time. The good news? We get more daylight during the evening and can spend more time outdoors after work. The bad news: We all lose an hour of sleep, which can negatively impact our mental and physical health. But we don’t have to take these unwanted effects lying down (as much as we want to lie down and take a nap). To prepare for and adjust to the start of daylight saving time, you can use these tips.
4 ways to adjust to daylight saving time
1. Get some sun in the morning
The start of daylight saving time marks the beginning of later sunsets and longer evening daylight. While this may be good news for people who prefer to spend time outside after work, we all lose an hour of sleep, which can disrupt our circadian rhythm. To combat this and get the health and sleep benefits of morning sun exposure, spend time outside in the morning to reset your internal clock, even if it means rearranging your routine.
2. Slowly shift your bedtime
To prepare for the start of daylight saving time, begin shifting your bedtime a week in advance by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. By the time you lose an hour of sleep on March 8, your body will at least be more prepared to handle the change.
3. Try a sleep mask
Consider trying a sleep mask. This may be more relevant in the fall or winter, but it can benefit anyone who likes to wake up on their own time, not the sun’s. There are options that fit comfortably around your face, preventing light from seeping in and waking you up before you’re ready to greet the day.
Or, if a sleep mask isn’t your cup of tea, perhaps blackout curtains will be a better fit.
4. Set your clock the night before
When time changes an hour, setting your clock the night before lets you wake up to the new time, preventing lateness and potential confusion. This can also help your body’s internal clock adapt to the time change with less disruption to your daily routine.
How daylight saving time started
The idea of daylight saving was first proposed in 1895 in New Zealand, but it wasn’t put into practice until World War I, when Germany used it to conserve electricity for lighting. The US followed suit, enacting DST in 1918 to conserve energy during the war.
But it was quickly repealed in 1919 after the end of the war due to its unpopularity among citizens.
Since then, the US has had a confusing, back-and-forth relationship with DST. For the most part, states and cities have been left to decide for themselves whether they want to observe the time change. This made it difficult for public transportation services and broadcast networks to properly coordinate times.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, which created set dates when the nation would collectively start and end DST. Starting in 2007, most of the US has observed daylight saving time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. Any state that doesn’t want to participate, however, is allowed to pass a law through its legislature.
Not all states observe daylight saving time
Neither Hawaii nor Arizona observes daylight saving time. In addition, 47 other states have introduced bills to abolish changing the clocks. The measures that were signed into law are either awaiting Congress and the US Department of Transportation to abolish DST nationwide or awaiting neighboring states to join the cause so they don’t disrupt regional time zones.
Some argue for permanent daylight saving time, while others, like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, say we should adopt standard time year-round. In 2022, the Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent year-round, but it has not been approved by the House. However, there haven’t been any further updates to make that legislation a reality.
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