How does daylight saving work

The chances, though, appear nil. So instead of worrying about cranking up the air conditioner at home, think about what more you can do outdoors when the sun is out. Softball, anyone? Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and their colleagues looked at myocardial infarction rates in Sweden since and found that the number of heart attacks rose about 5 percent during the first week of daylight saving time called summer time in Europe.

In the October 30, , New England Journal of Medicine, they suggest that this rise may result from the disruption of sleep patterns and biological rhythms.

On the other hand, the clock shift could help prevent traffic accidents by enabling more people to drive home in sunlight. By analyzing 28 years of U. They reported the findings in a B. This article was originally published with the title "Spring Forward or Not? Already a subscriber? Sign in. Many outdoor industries, including golf and barbecue , have even promoted daylight saving time, which they say boosts profits. The petroleum industry is also a fan, as people drive more if it is still light after work or school.

But in many places, the time shift is very unpopular. Europe's pending move away from the annual change stemmed from a survey that revealed roughly 80 percent of some 4.

And some American states are also starting to push for changes. For now, however, if you live in a region that shifts the clocks twice a year, be wary of its effects. National Geographic National Geographic. Environment and Conservation. By Maya Wei-Haas. Published 9 Apr , BST. What's behind the changes in sunlight?

When did daylight saving time begin? Who observes daylight saving time? Are there benefits to daylight saving time? Daylight saving time: why do we do it? About 70 countries around the world practice Daylight Saving Time. That's not the worst of it. Swedish researchers examined heart attack rates in Sweden since and found that the number of heart attacks rose about 5 percent during the first week of daylight saving time.

They published their results in the Oct. In and again in , bills were introduced in the U. Congress to make DST permanent. Some states have already approved this change but it can't take effect until Congress gives approval.

And what do people think? A poll of Americans found 40 percent preferred to stay on eastern standard time permanently, 30 percent wanted DST permanently and another 30 percent preferred the current system [source: Davies ]. Perhaps Shakespeare was right after all. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar.

Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Everyday Innovations. How Daylight Saving Time Works. Commuters walk through the morning bright sunlight coming from the 60 feet 18m high windows in Grand Central Terminal in New York City on March 11, , the first morning after Daylight Savings Time took effect.

Arguments Against Daylight Saving Time. Do They or Don't They? Starting and Stopping DST " ". He'll have a lot of clocks to adjust in anticipation of Daylight Saving Time. History of Daylight Saving Time " ". There it stands at Greenwich, London, the famous Prime Meridian of the world, the basis for all maps and time calculations. Don't Touch That Clock! Arguments Against Daylight Saving Time Over the years, many well-known politicians have fiercely championed daylight saving time.

In , the U. These rules were contained in the Uniform Time Act, which set the beginning and ending of DST, as well as the time when the changeover should occur. Why is there daylight saving time in the U. Having more daylight hours for at least half the year should reduce the amount of electricity we use for lighting and running TVs, DVD players and stereos. Plus, it serves as an incentive for people to spend more time outdoors.

Does Europe have daylight saving time? European nations have been taking advantage of daylight saving time for decades, but they didn't standardize it until , when the European Union adopted a common DST schedule that runs from the last Sunday in March through the last Sunday in October. What states do not have daylight savings time? Who invented daylight savings time?

Benjamin Franklin first conceived of daylight saving time in , while serving as U. Sources Aldrich, Bob. May March Downing, Michael. Fisher, Marc. March 13, The idea was first advocated seriously by London builder William Willett in the pamphlet, " Waste of Daylight " , that proposed advancing clocks 20 minutes on each of four Sundays in April, and retarding them by the same amount on four Sundays in September.

As he was taking an early morning a ride through Petts Wood, near Croydon, Willett was struck by the fact that the blinds of nearby houses were closed, even though the sun was fully risen. When questioned as to why he didn't simply get up an hour earlier, Willett replied with typical British humor, "What? Everyone laments their shortage as Autumn approaches; and everyone has given utterance to regret that the clear, bright light of an early morning during Spring and Summer months is so seldom seen or used.

About one year after Willett began to advocate daylight saving he spent a fortune lobbying , he attracted the attention of the authorities. Robert Pearce - later Sir Robert Pearce - introduced a bill in the House of Commons to make it compulsory to adjust the clocks. The bill was drafted in and introduced in Parliament several times, but it met with ridicule and opposition, especially from farming interests.

Generally lampooned at the time, Willett died on March 4, Following Germany's lead, Britain passed an act on May 17, , and Willett's scheme of adding 80 minutes, in four separate movements was put in operation on the following Sunday, May 21, There was a storm of opposition, confusion, and prejudice.

The Royal Meteorological Society insisted that Greenwich time would still be used to measure tides. The parks belonging to the Office of Works and the London County Council decided to close at dusk, which meant that they would be open an extra hour in the evening. Kew Gardens , on the other hand, ignored the daylight saving scheme and decided to close by the clock. In Edinburgh, the confusion was even more marked, for the gun at the Castle was fired at p.

That arrangement was carried on for the benefit of seamen who could see it from the Firth of Forth. The time fixed for changing clocks was a.