As clocks turn back across parts of the world, many in India might wonder what all the fuss is about. After all, India doesn’t observe daylight saving time and our clocks stay steady throughout the year. But this global ritual of adjusting time twice annually continues to stir curiosity everywhere else. Why do some countries move their clocks forward and back? Does it really save energy or just mess with people’s sleep?

Here’s everything you need to know about the idea behind daylight saving time and how it affects daily life.

What exactly is daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of moving clocks forward by one hour in spring and setting them back in autumn. The idea is to make better use of natural light by shifting an hour of sunlight from the morning to the evening during the longer days of summer.

The United States first adopted the system in 1918 through the Standard Time Act, aiming to conserve energy and make the most of daylight hours.

When daylight saving ends, the country returns to standard time, which lasts through the colder months. This period brings earlier sunsets and longer nights and will continue until daylight saving begins again on March 8 next year, ending once more in November.

How can you adjust to the change?

Feeling sleepy or slightly off after the clock change is normal. According to Harvard experts, the trick lies in maintaining consistency.

  • Keep a regular bedtime, get morning sunlight to reset your body clock, and try not to rely on caffeine or alcohol late in the day.
  • It also helps to dim the lights and cut down on screen time before bed to make falling asleep easier.
  • Sticking to steady routines for meals, exercise, and rest allows your body to adapt naturally over a few days.

Where did daylight saving time come from?

The concept isn’t new. Daylight saving was first introduced during World War I, later repealed, and then brought back during World War II. To keep things consistent, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardised the start and end dates across the United States, though individual states were allowed to opt out.

Since 2007, the current schedule has been in place: clocks move forward on the second Sunday in March and return to standard time on the first Sunday in November.

Which countries follow it?

Roughly one-third of the world’s countries still observe some form of daylight saving time, mainly across Europe and North America.

Some nations in the Southern Hemisphere also follow the practice, though their schedule runs opposite because their seasons are reversed.

Many countries have experimented with daylight saving at some point but later dropped it, choosing instead to stick with a single time zone year-round.

Are there places that never change their clocks?

Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time throughout the year.

The same goes for US territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, all of which remain on permanent standard time.

Will daylight saving time ever become permanent?

The idea of keeping daylight saving time all year has been debated for years. In 2022, the US Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, a proposal to make the change permanent and end the twice-yearly clock adjustment. However, the bill stalled in the House of Representatives.

Even so, several states have shown support by passing their own measures in favour of permanent daylight saving time. For this to take effect nationwide, though, federal approval is still required.