Daylight Saving Time is coming: Clocks ‘spring ahead’ Sunday

In a sleep-deprived nation, we are about to lose a little more this weekend thanks to the arrival of Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, March 8.

The change occurs at 2 a.m. Sunday across most of the United States, so set your clocks an hour ahead before going to bed Saturday night.

The century-old practice will give us an extra hour of sunlight in the evening.

Most clocks, such as those on cell phones and computers will update automatically overnight, moving forward from 2 a.m to 3 a.m. But other household clocks such as those on alarm clocks, microwaves, stoves and car radios have to be manually updated.

No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.

Standard time returns Nov. 1.

It’s a change that many people want to make permanent including Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

Rubio, along with fellow Senator Rick Scott and Rep. Vern Buchanan are trying to get legislation passed that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent, not only in Florida, but also across the country.

I prefer Daylight Savings over Standard but in the end what I really want is to end this stupid twice a year time shift. Let’s #LockTheClock https://t.co/9jPKJjeaHi pic.twitter.com/7qSg1RYPIv

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 5, 2020

Of course, whenever you set your clocks ahead one hour, you are also supposed to make another change. Change the batteries on your smoke detectors.

Smoke detector batteries need changing every six months and the switch to daylight saving time is the perfect time to make the change.

The Florida Highway Patrol also warns drivers and pedestrians to be especially careful on the Monday morning commute to work or school. It will likely be dark and everyone needs to pay close attention to the roads.

When we spring forward, the clocks on the wall advance, but our body clocks do not change so readily resulting in less sleep. It generally takes a few days for us to adapt to the time change in a way that allows us to fall asleep at our typical time. The upshot is that Americans sleep approximately 40 minutes less than usual on the Sunday to Monday night following the switch.

FAST FACTS:

• Did you know? Daylight saving time was first used during World War I, as part of an effort in the United States and other warring countries to conserve fuel. In theory, using daylight more efficiently saves fuel and energy because it reduces the nation’s need for artificial light.
• Did you also know the correct term is daylight “saving” time, not “savings” time.