Once again, the first weekend of November is almost here, and the world is ready for some extra sleep. Fingers twitch to change their clocks and to throw on their plushy sleep eyemasks.
This Sunday, November 2nd, is Daylight Saving Time. And we’re all getting a whole additional hour!
But why do we have Daylight Saving? (Or, as they call it in Great Britain, summer time) There has to be another reason than “Yay! More sleep!” Right? And who started it?
Daylight Saving time can be traced back to ancient Rome. They kept time with water clocks that had different scales for different months of the year.
However, it wasn’t until 1908 that DST- Daily Saving Time- was officially put into practice. Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada, was the first city to enact Daylight Saving Time. Port Arthur was soon followed by the countries of Germany and then Austria-Hungary. Soon, all of Europe was following suit, and just like a social media trend, Daylight Saving Time swept around the globe. Even the United States began using DST during World War 1- to conserve energy!
Unfortunately, in 1918, many jurisdictions abandoned DST- but only for twenty years. World War II was when DST became a popular concept again (to save coal, once more) and that led to America’s standardization in 1966. Some countries, though, still don’t partake: Japan, China, Russia, and India are just a few. In the modern U.S., states are allowed to choose whether they observe DTS. Most territories, Hawaii, and much of Arizona doesn’t.
Okay- so we understand how it started. But why? It’s actually a pretty controversial topic. Daylight Saving Time doesn’t, surprisingly, have a strong scientific reason. Effects of DST on energy consumption are negligible. People maybe just want more light- or more sleep.
“In the mid-20th century, lobby groups for the recreational sports industry (think driving ranges) wanted more customers to come out after a day at the office. It’s easier to do so when there is more light at the end of the day,” explains CNN.
Other people want DST because extra sunlight means extra happiness. Many companies rely on fun in the sun, such as retailing, sports, and tourism. But some industries don’t- like agriculture- or the movie industry. No one wants to watch a film during the day!
Winston Churchill said it enlarges “the opportunities for the pursuit of health and happiness among the millions of people who live in this country.”
There is a lot of evidence proving that Daylight Saving Time transitions are actually trifling. In 2018, the European Commission declared that biannual clocks (in Europe) would be abolished.
Additionally, there are negative health effects associated with DTS. People losing an hour of sleep in the spring results in a disrupted circadian rhythm and an out-of-whack sleep pattern.
Lastly, it’s argued that Daylight Saving Time actually wastes money.
Dallas Sleep voices, “There are the tangible economic losses associated with the disruption- some economists have estimated that DST loses the economy as much as 1.7 Billion as a result of lost opportunity cost.”
There are many pros and cons to Daylight Saving Time. And whether you agree with the practice or not, our state observes it.
So- here are a few tips for your 2025 fall back!
- This weekend, make gradual changes in your sleep and wake time. Go to bed and wake up ten-fifteen minutes later the next day.
- Indiana University advises, “Head outdoors in the evening for the few days before and after the time change. The light exposure in the evening can help delay the internal body clock.”
- Last but not least, if you do end up waking up earlier than expected, avoid screens until your intended wake up time.
In conclusion, Daylight Saving Time, while perhaps not necessary, is active in Washington State. Take healthy advantage of the extended sleep this Sunday!
Works Cited
Cheairs, Jasmin. “Falling Back: Health tips to adjust to the time change.” Indiana University, 21 October 2025, medicine.iu.edu/blogs/indiana-health/daylight-saving-time. Accessed 30 October 2025.
“5 Good Reasons for Getting Rid of Daylight Saving Time.” Dallas Sleep, https://www.dallas-sleep.com/blog/5-good-reasons-for-getting-rid-of-daylight-saving-time. Accessed 31 October 2025.
Hetter, Katia, and Stephen Mays. “Daylight Saving Time: What is it, and why do we have it?” CNN, 5 November 2022, https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/05/health/daylight-saving-time-explainer-wellness. Accessed 31 October 2025.
Meade, Richard. “Daylight saving time – Wikipedia.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time#Procedure. Accessed 31 October 2025.
Strazisar, Barbara, and Lea Strazisar. “Daylight Saving Time: Pros and Cons.” PubMed, 2 July 2021, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34325828/. Accessed 31 October 2025.
