Daylight Saving Time in US will begin early tomorrow morning, so don’t forget to change your clocks.
While Americans in all but a few states will lose an hour of sleep tonight, they will gain an hour more of evening sunlight in the coming months.
Officially, the change starts Sunday, March 10, at 2 a.m., though most people are likely to reset their clocks before hitting the hay on Saturday night.
These days, making the change is less of a chore than it used to be as most people use clocks on cell phones, computers or radio clocks, which do it automatically.
However, there will undoubtedly still be victims of the time shift who will kick themselves come Sunday morning when they show up an hour late to their scheduled plans.
Authorities also use the clock change to remind people to put new batteries in warning devices such as smoke detectors and hazard warning radios.
Daylight Saving Time was established in the U.S., for states that chose to comply, during World War I.
The move came after the Germans shifted their work hours to the sun’s schedule, as a means to conserve energy resources during the war.
In the late ‘60, the U.S. Congress began regulating time zones and decided to allow states to decide to comply with the change. The choice must impact the entire state, counties or localities cannot choose a separate time schedule.
Canada, most states in the U.S. and Mexico observe Daylight Saving Time but only a few countries in South America will shift their clocks.
Though the majority of the 50 states comply, Arizona, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands hold out and retain the normal time schedule.
The measure is now viewed primarily as an economic consideration, shifting the daylight period to the working hours – which is why it has earned the nickname “Daylight Slaving Time”.
Daylight Saving Time will end on November 3 when clocks change back and people gain an hour, signalling that winter is again approaching.
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