NEW YORK — Later sunsets and more time to enjoy outdoor activities at the end of the day are just around the corner in New York with the start of daylight saving time.
Daylight saving time starts at 2am on Sunday, March 10, when clocks are moved forward one hour, automatically for clocks on digital devices.
Nothing substantial has happened legislatively to end the twice-yearly “spring forward” and “backward” ritual. Many Americans prefer daylight saving time year-round, but the legislation has gained little momentum.
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's Sunshine Protection Act of 2023 would have made daylight saving time permanent. Two Republican congressmen, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Ralph Norman of South Carolina have proposed similar legislation that would have given states the ability to stay on daylight saving time permanently.
Dozens of states are considering proposals to adopt either year-round daylight saving time or standard time. In New York, pending bills include a bill establishing the Daylight Savings Time Task Force to study the effects of New York State's Daylight Savings Time exemption. another pending bill establishing daylight saving time as the year-round standard time of the state and city of New York; a bill respecting the observance of Atlantic Time; and a pending bill that would eliminate daylight saving time.
States cannot change permanent daylight saving time on their own. Nor can they be exempted from the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which imposed daylight saving time, without either federal approval from the US Secretary of Transportation or an act of Congress.
In their request to opt out, officials from sunny Arizona argued that earlier sunsets bring relief from scorching daytime temperatures. Because Hawaii is so close to the equator, there isn't much difference in how much sun the islands see at any given time of year.
Although “spring forward” is often associated with the beginning of spring, the vernal equinox does not occur until Tuesday, March 19. Daylight saving time is scheduled to end on November 3rd.
Daylight saving time has been around since the First World War. But it became the law of the land more than 50 years ago with the Uniform Time Act of 1966, although the exact dates — now the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November — have changed a bit over the years.
Who really benefits from the time change?
Proponents may argue that longer evenings encourage people to leave home. The extra hour of daylight can be used for outdoor recreation such as golf, soccer, baseball, running and more. It also benefits the tourism industry.
However, critics say the cons outweigh the pros. The time change can mess with our body clocks and circadian rhythms, making for some restless nights and sleepy days. It's also difficult to quantify the economic cost of collective fatigue caused by daylight saving time, but studies have found a drop in productivity after the spring transition.
Tips to help you adjust
So, what are the best ways to avoid sleep deprivation? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it already affects about a third of adults in the United States. Here are some tips:
