A Change is Coming…It is Time to Decide
It is inevitable. We are bound and determined (and rightly so) to end the transition into and out of daylight saving time. This past weekend, as you know, we set our clocks back an hour to what is known as standard time. But that will not last for long, as many states, politicians and talking heads are calling for an end to the practice. The issue at hand, however, is that seems most people want to stay with daylight saving time. The majority of those in that camp often site the fact that the sun sets later in the summer and they enjoy the extra daylight. At least that's my experience.
For those on the other side of the debate, UW Medicine has given them some ammo for the fight. The medical college has conducted studies on the effect daylight saving time has on people. According to the university, the results weren't positive.
"When we go to daylight saving time, it's like dosing the entire population with an hour of permanent jet-lag." Says UW Medicine's Dr. Nathaniel Wilson. "When we spring forward, we see an increase in heart attacks, strokes, mental health gets impaired and we see more accidents. There's all kinds of untoward effects and the reality is that permanent standard time is just the more natural way to go about our lives." he adds.
Beyond that, the concept of daylight saving time has also been a bit misunderstood. Many attribute the idea to one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. However, that has been debunked and turns out to be satire.
Benjamin Franklin did not invent the concept, but merely suggested once that Parisians change their sleep schedules to save money on candles and lamp oil. The common misconception comes from a satirical essay he wrote in the spring of 1784 that was published in the Journal de Paris.
Many others claim that daylight saving benefits farmers, though that is far from the truth. In all reality, farmers don't follow a clock. They follow the sun, much like their crops and animals.
For myself, I'm firmly in the standard time camp. I think it is cozy when it gets dark early in the fall and winter, I like that the sun is up earlier (not only for myself as an early riser, but also my kids at the bus stop) and I wouldn't mind the sun going down at 9pm instead of 10pm in the summer. Besides, everyone knows the best summer fun happens after sunset anyway.
No matter your position, get ready for the inevitable battle that will soon rage though the living rooms of America in the near future.