On November 2, Daylight Saving Time ended. The clocks were moved back an hour to regular standard time at 2 am, giving us an extra hour of sleep. However, it may not feel like it when you get up at the same time every day for school or work because not everyone’s bodies always adjusts.

Daylight Saving Time has been around since 1916, but was proposed in the 1700s by Benjamin Franklin. Imperial Germany at the time wanted to conserve fuel during World War I, and the U.S. followed suit in 1918. Daylight Saving Time started nationally in the U.S. in 1966 for the states that wanted to observe it. 

It can get repetitive having to keep changing your clocks back. Sometimes you even forget, realizing the sky outside doesn’t match the time on your phone or clock. Some Americans say that daylight saving time isn’t needed. 

It is argued that changing the clocks affects the body’s natural sleep cycle, which, being disrupted constantly, can cause strokes and other health issues, as well as negative economic impacts because of people who are sleep deprived. 

The other side of the argument is that Daylight Saving gives people more daylight and more time to do more activities in the daytime. It can also reduce crime and traffic incidents due to people being more aware in light compared to darkness, where it’s not easy to see. Medical companies want to make daylight saving time permanent so that sleep deprivation isn’t a huge concern medically. 

Lawmakers in certain states want to get rid of daylight saving time. Some states, like Arizona and Hawaii, don’t observe Daylight saving time and use the permanent standard time.

In 1919, the time change was taken back due to the public’s opposition. 47 years later when implemented again, some states still opted out. Then in 2007, more weeks were added onto Daylight Saving and it’s been permanent ever since. Whether daylight saving is useful or not, the argument of whether people really need it or not will be debated back and forth for years