Only two states in the United States don't observe daylight saving time, observing standard time year-round: Arizona and Hawaii. After all, they argue, these states already get plenty of sun. The other 48 states – AKA the rest of us – will spring forward our clocks by one hour on Sunday, March 9, at least for now. It's been reported that it's on the table for abolishing. While it's my favorite time of year (who doesn't love the longer days?), it comes with some not so good health news. Let's get into what you can expect this daylight saving time!
Here are 12 wacky facts you may not know about daylight saving time.
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1. Most of us are saying it wrong.
The correct term is actually "daylight saving time" — singular, not plural. Despite common usage, "saving" is used as an adjective describing the act of conserving daylight, not a plural noun.
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2. The time change has been linked to more hospital visits.
The American Heart Association found that the time change showed an increase in cases of heart attack and stroke. A scientific study found a rise in cases of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), a condition that resulted in irregular heartbeats with symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, and fatigue. The increase was more prevalent among women and occurred only during the spring daylight saving time shift, not with the fall clock change.
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3. There are more car accidents during this time.
Losing an hour of sleep can also impact your road safety. A study found that the spring daylight saving time transition increases the risk of fatal traffic accidents in the U.S. by 6 percent.
Andrea Piacquadio
4. DST can increase your cortisol and stress levels.
Losing sleep and disrupting your body’s natural rhythm can do more than just leave you feeling groggy — it can actually spike your cortisol levels, the hormone linked to stress. Research shows that sleep deprivation and circadian misalignment can trigger an increase in cortisol, along with inflammatory markers and cytokine imbalances. Since cortisol and inflammatory proteins are released in response to stress, chronic elevations could contribute to long-term health issues.
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5. We're at higher risk of depression.
Many people report mood disturbances during this time, but for those with bipolar disorder, the effects can be particularly destabilizing. For instance, a 2020 study found that the change impacts mood disorders, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. An Australian study revealed a significant increase in male suicide rates in the weeks following the start of daylight saving time, compared to both the weeks after the return to standard time and the rest of the year.
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6. Benjamin Franklin first suggested the concept.
He didn’t technically invent daylight saving time (as some have reported), but he did conceive the idea a century before it was credited to George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand artist who formally proposed it in an 1895 paper. Benjamin Franklin observed that if people in France adjusted their schedules to sleep when it was dark and wake with the sunrise, they could save hundreds of francs on candles — making artificial lighting less necessary.
Andy Feliciotti
7. There's already buzz to make DST permanent.
The Sunshine Protection Act is a proposed U.S. law aiming to make daylight saving time permanent, eliminating the need to change clocks twice a year.
Anna Shvets
8. Farmers actually fought against it.
Contrary to popular belief, farmers have never supported daylight saving time. In fact, they opposed its implementation and, in 1919, an agricultural lobby even pushed for its repeal.
Max Vakhtbovycn
9. We may actually consume more energy because of it.
While many believe daylight saving time conserves energy, research suggests it may actually do the opposite. A University of California-Santa Barbara study indicated that daylight saving time might increase consumption. A 2017 study in the International Association for Energy Economics Journal further supports this idea, noting that longer daylight hours can lead to more air conditioning in summer and heating in cooler months.
Federico Respini
10. Daylight saving time was extended in 2007.
First started in Germany, the U.S. adopted daylight saving time in 1918 and standardized it across the country with the passage of the 1966 Uniform Time Act, which gave the federal government oversight over the time change. It originally called for the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. President George W. Bush’s Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended it from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, starting in 2007.
Bhargava Marripati
11. About 70 countries observe daylight saving time.
Countries like Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and those in the European Union observe daylight saving time either nationwide or in select regions. Meanwhile, most African and Asian nations — including India, China, and Japan — opt out of the time change entirely.
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