Question of the day: Do you know which 2 states don't observe Daylight Saving?
Answer: Arizona and Hawaii!
Let's dive into the quirky history of Daylight Saving Time (DST), some fun facts, and why its days might be numbered.
So, Why Was Daylight Saving Time Started?
The idea is most famously credited to Benjamin Franklin. In a 1784 satirical essay, he suggested that Parisians could save money on candles by waking up earlier to use morning sunlight. However, he was more joking than proposing actual policy.
The real modern champion of DST was a British builder named William Willett. In 1907, he passionately argued that people were wasting precious daylight hours by sleeping in. He proposed moving clocks forward in the spring to provide more daylight for evening activities.
But why was it officially adopted? The catalyst was World War I. Germany was the first to implement DST in 1916 to conserve coal and fuel for the war effort. The idea was simple: shift clocks to reduce the need for artificial lighting in the evenings. The United States followed suit in 1918.
5 Quick Tips To Survive (Or Even Thrive) In Daylight Savings
1. Front-load your sleep: Start shifting your bedtime 10–15 minutes earlier for a few nights before the change. It’s barely noticeable day-to-day but makes the jump way less jarring.
2. Attack the morning light: As soon as you wake up, get bright light—open blinds, step outside, or sit near a window. Morning light resets your internal clock faster than anything else.
3. Move early, not late: A quick walk or workout in the morning helps tell your body, “Hey, this is the new schedule.” Skip intense late-night workouts right after the shift—those keep you wired.
4. Protect the last hour of your night: Cut screens, caffeine, and doom-scrolling before bed. Swap in a wind-down routine: stretching, reading, journaling, or prepping your next day. Consistency wins this week.
5. Make the time change work for you: Use the shift as a reset moment—clean up your sleep schedule, set a new morning ritual, try an earlier start, or build a new habit you’ve been putting off. DST makes the disruption for you… you might as well ride the momentum.
Fun Facts & Key Dates to Know
It’s “Saving,” Not “Savings”: The correct term is Daylight Saving Time, not "Savings."
Not a Federal Law in the U.S. Until 1966: The Uniform Time Act of 1966 finally standardized the start and end dates across the states that observed it, ending the widespread confusion.
Arizona and Hawaii Opt-Out: These two states (mostly) ignore DST and stay on Standard Time year-round.
The "Energy Crisis" Extension: In 1974, the U.S. even tried year-round Daylight Saving Time to save energy during the oil crisis, but it was scrapped after public dislike of dark winter mornings.
Why Daylight Saving Time May Not Last Much Longer
The original reasons for DST are becoming less relevant in our modern world. Studies on energy savings are mixed, and many argue the cons now outweigh the pros. Health impacts, economic costs, public safety and opinion...
This has led to a powerful movement to "Lock the Clock." The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022 to make DST permanent year-round, though it has stalled in the House. The debate continues, with strong opinions on both sides.
So, the next time someone asks you "why does daylight saving time exist?" you can tell them it was a wartime energy-saving measure that overstayed its welcome.
Want to never miss a time change or important date again? Get The Big A## Calendar and stay ahead of the clock!
