As the days begin to stretch and the sun shines brighter, many may find themself adjusting to the familiar yet controversial ritual of Daylight Saving Time (DST). While some view it as a warm welcome for spring, the event actually causes more harm than good. This year, DST began on March 9, when our clocks sprung forward one hour.
Benjamin Franklin first proposed saving daylight. He noticed a waste of daylight as everyone slept through the morning. Later, George Vernon Hudson proposed shifting clocks two hours forward in the summer and back two hours in the winter. His proposal was immediately rejected.
During World War I, Germany became the first country to officially observe DST in an effort to conserve energy. Since then, other parts of the world have also implemented DST, but opinions remain divided.
Some benefits of DST include increased hours for evening activities, improved mood and mental health, and a reduction in traffic accidents and crime. Longer daylight hours also reduce the need for electric lighting, leading to energy conservation.
The downsides of DST, however, completely outweigh the benefits. Studies conducted in 2020 by the U.S. Department of Transportation have indicated that DST’s main goal of saving energy is simply not being achieved. While less electricity is used for lighting, more energy is spent on heating.
Additionally, DST poses a challenge for livestock and agriculture. In 2024, the American Farm Bureau Federation found that the time change disrupts animals’ circadian rhythms, impacting tasks like milking and feeding. Farmers are forced to make adjustments to planting and harvesting times.
The shift in time disrupts natural sleep patterns, often leading to sleep deprivation and fatigue. A 2015 Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine report found that students were sleepier and less alert during the days following the time change. As a result, many students face a decline in academic and athletic performance.
Triyama Das, a freshman at Fremd High School, believes the time change doesn’t have to occur during the school year.
“If the time changes only happened during the summer, I wouldn’t have such a big problem with it,” Das said. “We wouldn’t have to come to school so tired, and our sleep schedules wouldn’t be so messed up. This year, when we lost an hour of sleep, I came to school on Monday so tired.”
Fremd Freshman Jiya Saraiya has conflicting opinions on DST.
“On one hand, gaining an extra hour during the fall is really nice,” Saraiya said. “It’s nice to be able to sleep in, and the extra hour also gives me an excuse to be unproductive. On the other hand, waking up in the morning after losing an hour is always rough, and it’s so dark too. It makes me want to crawl back into bed rather than get ready for school.”
DST is an outdated and unnecessary practice that promises false benefits. Instead of improving moods, reducing accidents, and saving energy, it leads to negative emotions, increased rates of car crashes, and no energy conservation. It’s time to leave DST in the past–a long overdue task.
