When Do We Change the Clocks? Why Daylight Savings Time Might Soon Be Here for Good

We can all agree that it would be a good thing to eliminate the harmful side effects of moving the clock back and forth twice a year.

Falling back is one thing (we do that in less than two weeks, details here). Springing forward is another.

Why? Each March we see an increase in traffic accidents, workplace injuries and heart attacks all linked to people losing an hour of sleep as they spring forward. Those factors and more led to the U.S. Senate approving legislation this past spring that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.

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But there is a downside — or a dark side — to staying in Daylight Saving Time year-round. What would it mean if we left the clocks as-is starting now? Well, we wouldn't notice anything different just yet but we would see major changes during the winter months.

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Here is everything you should know about daylight saving time, from when it starts and ends, to why it was created (it wasn’t to help farmers) and if “saving” is plural or singular.

For example, here are some of the new super-late sunrise times that we would see if the new bill becomes law:

NYC LATER SUNRISE TIMES:
Thanksgiving — 7:53 a.m.
Christmas Morning — 8:18 a.m.
Valentine's Day — 7:51 a.m.

Our new latest sunrise would be 8:20 a.m., which would occur from Jan. 1 - Jan. 7. If you think that's late, Minot North Dakota would have sunrise at 9:35 a.m.!

Daylight saving is more than just an annoyance. When we throw off the alignment of our internal clock, or circadian rhythm, with the real-world clock, we’re doing more damage to our bodies than we realize. And there is data to prove it. Not only does the frequency of heart attacks go up in the week or two after daylight saving begins but it is also linked to cancer, depression, sleep disorders and lowered productivity. And it’s not just a problem in the U.S. — it affects people around the world.

The flip side is that we would never have those depressing 4:30 p.m. sunsets anymore. In fact, our new earliest sunset would be 5:28 p.m. which would occur from Dec. 3 - Dec. 13.

The bottom line: Because of our northern latitude, there will be a lot of darkness during the winter no matter what. If we stay on DST, it will mean kids will be waiting for the school bus in the dark even after 8 a.m., but it will also mean it won't be pitch black at 5 p.m. when many people are leaving work to go home.