As the calendar flips to March, the United States is gearing up for the annual ritual of “springing forward” into daylight saving time. On Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 2 a.m. local time, clocks across most of the country will move forward an hour, marking the start of daylight saving time.
This time-honored tradition, which dates back to World War I, is designed to make better use of daylight during the longer days of summer. By shifting the clock forward, we effectively move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.
However, not all states and U.S. territories participate in daylight saving time. Hawaii and Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) do not observe daylight saving time. The same goes for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.
While the practice has its proponents, who argue that it saves energy and encourages outdoor activity, it also has its critics. Some argue that the biannual time change can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to sleep loss and other health issues. Others point out that the energy savings are negligible at best.
In recent years, there has been a growing movement to do away with the time change altogether. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent14. However, it did not pass in the U.S. House of Representatives and was not signed into law by President Joe Biden.
As of 2024, 19 states have passed legislation or resolutions to provide for year-round daylight saving time if Congress were to authorize such a change. These include Colorado, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Idaho, Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Wyoming, Delaware, Maine, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Florida.
As we prepare to adjust our clocks and our sleep schedules, it’s clear that the debate over daylight saving time is far from over. Whether you’re a fan of the extra evening sunlight or a critic of the biannual time change, one thing is certain: when it comes to daylight saving time, the only constant is change.