If the amount of sleep achieved from Saturday to Sunday seems a little bit shorter this weekend, it is not because the party went longer than expected. New to this year, Daylight Savings time has been moved to the second Sunday in March, springing the custom forward a full month.
According to Energy.ca.gov, the website for the California Energy Commission, in 2005 and 2006 Daylight Savings time would “spring forward” the first Sunday of April at 2 A.M., and return to the previous time (“fall back”) at 2 A.M. the last Sunday of October. This year, time will revert back at 2 A.M. on the first Sunday of November. This policy was changed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
So, what is the reason for messing with everyone’s sleep schedule? Daylight Savings time is in effect to help conserve electricity. According to the website 25% of the electricity used in homes is from objects used when humans are awake such as stereos, radios, toasters, ect. By moving time forward one hour in the spring, people wake up when the sun has risen, reducing the amount of lights needed in the home. By moving time backward an hour, this has the same effect in the winter when the days are shorter. The same effects take hold during sunset.
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 was passed in congress to unify daylight savings time. Not all the U.S. states observe the time change. It is not observed in most of Arizona, Hawaii, and not at all in U.S. Territories.
So don’t get caught missing an important meeting on Sunday morning, make sure to turn the clocks back an hour on March 11.