If you haven’t looked at the calendar recently, then daylight saving time may have sneaked up on you. If you don’t want to miss your Sunday morning church meeting or brunch with friends, then don’t forget to move those clocks forward the night before March 8.
A brief history of daylight saving time
Daylight saving time was originally implemented in 1918 during World War I in an effort to conserve fuel. The change boosted sales of golf balls or tickets to baseball games. However, it was met with opposition from farmers and the practice was eventually stopped.
Later, the practice was enacted again during World War II, but while major cities were on daylight saving time, many rural cities weren’t observing the new time. To address the confusion, President Lyndon B. Johnson established standard time across the country with the Uniform Time Act.
In 1974, President Richard Nixon signed into law a year-round daylight saving time, which was reversed after a year by Congress. It wasn’t until 1986, according to Time, that daylight saving time came back permanently: originally for seven months each year, and then eight months in 2005. It hasn’t changed since.
What’s the point?
Daylight saving time was originally made into law for fuel-saving purposes, but today it’s hard to discern if it makes much of a difference or not. Since the Department of Energy conducted a study in 2008, newer studies have shown that LED bulbs are far more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, making energy savings from artificial light irrelevant, according to Energy Harbor.
However, depending on geographic location and other variables, some states report a higher energy savings during the summer months. California reportedly reduced energy consumption by 3.5% during daylight saving, Energy Harbor reported.
Other than energy reduction, perhaps the purpose of change is a matter of safety.
When the U.S. implemented daylight saving time during the winter of 1973-1974 to save fuel, Florida’s governor had called for the law’s repeal after eight school children were hit by cars in January, CNN reported. Due to the dark mornings, schools across the country weren’t opening until daylight to create safer travel conditions for kids trying to get to school. By October, Congress voted to return to standard time.
Without sacrificing safety to achieve long summer nights, the solution remains to keep changing clocks twice a year.
How to have a better daylight saving time transition
The hour change is infamous for disrupting sleep schedules, leaving many dreading the day as it approaches. To lessen the daylight saving time grogginess, here are some suggestions.
Be sure to receive natural sunlight
OU Health says it’s wise to receive sunlight as soon as the sun is out. Even though it may be dark in the mornings, receiving sunlight helps to reset internal sleep clocks.
Go to bed a little sooner each night leading up to the time change
Katharine Pentecost, a sleep expert at OU Health, says going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night will help your body acclimate easier to the new schedule.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine
Instead of watching the clock when you can’t go to bed, find something relaxing to do if you can’t sleep. Laying in bed with nothing to do can cause anxiety, further preventing sleep. While bedtime routines will vary, OU Health recommends reading or gentle stretching — but be sure to avoid artificial light like your phone right before bed.
Avoid naps
While a nap may sound like a nice idea the first day of daylight saving time, a nap can cause your body to think a nap isn’t necessary when it’s time for bed, further messing with your sleep cycle.
More tips for better sleep during daylight saving time include staying hydrated, keeping a regular sleep schedule and regular exercise that doesn’t occur right before bed.
Will the U.S. keep changing clocks?
President Donald Trump has expressed interest in stopping the twice-a-year time shift.
“No more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, a very costly event,” Trump said on Truth Social.
Despite Trump’s plea, the Senate in late 2025 blocked a bill that would’ve allowed states to reinstate daylight saving time year round. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said a permanent daylight saving time would make for a miserable winter.
“If permanent daylight saving time becomes the law of the land, it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans,” he said.
As of right now, states can choose to have standard time permanently, but not daylight saving time. Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that do this.
For many reasons, debate over which time zone will take precedence will likely never end. Some want more light in the morning and others want more light in the evening, and that means we will likely continue changing our clocks twice a year.
What is Canada doing about daylight saving time?
March 8 will be the last time Canadians located in British Columbia will have to change their clocks. The province will adopt daylight saving time for the entire year, citing ease for families.
“Every parent knows that changing clocks twice a year causes a significant amount of chaos on already busy lives. British Columbians have been clear that seasonal time changes do not work for them,” said Premier David Eby. “This decision isn’t just about clocks. It’s about making life easier for families, reducing disruptions for businesses and supporting a stable, thriving economy. I am hopeful that our American neighbors will soon join us in ending disruptive time changes.”
British Columbia joins Saskatchewan and Yukon as the three provinces to eliminate the biannual time change in Canada. And perhaps the U.S. will join them in the movement, but for now, we’ll keep moving our clocks forward and backward.