As March approaches, many of us are preparing for the annual ritual of adjusting our clocks. This spring, we’ll be springing forward on Sunday, March 30th, when at 2:00 AM, clocks will jump ahead to 3:00 AM, marking the beginning of Daylight Saving Time (DST).
The practice, which dates back to World War I in 1916, was initially implemented in several European countries, including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Great Britain. The primary motivation was energy conservation – extending daylight hours to reduce artificial lighting usage. However, modern energy experts argue that the actual energy savings are negligible in today’s world.
While the European Union once planned to abolish the biannual time change in 2021, the decision was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of consensus among member states. In the Czech Republic, the government has confirmed that the time changes will continue for at least five more years.
Interestingly, DST affects different parts of the world differently. While EU countries synchronize their clock changes on the last Sunday of March and October, the United States and Canada follow a different schedule. Some regions, particularly those near the equator, don’t observe DST at all, as their daylight hours remain relatively constant throughout the year.
Despite ongoing debates about its necessity, research shows that while extended daylight hours can positively impact mental health and biological rhythms, the actual time change can have temporary negative effects, including an increase in traffic accidents immediately following the switch.