Daylight Savings Time is Irrelevant

By Aaron Limb

March 12, 2023, was the last day I thought I would ever have to change the clocks one hour ahead. To my disappointment, Congress still needs to process the decision to eliminate the constant switches of Daylight Savings and Fall Back. Personally, many of us students have to wake up early for school every day, but now we have to deal with losing an additional hour of sleep to get more sunlight.
As for its damaging effects, Daylight Savings seriously damages our internal clocks. For example, at least for the first few weeks of DST, it is harder to concentrate and do well in class as our bodies feel groggy and tiresome. Consequently, I wish there would be a universal time so we would not have to change our clocks throughout the year. With all of DST’s current downsides, why was it even created in the first place?
Daylight Savings Time’s initial creation was to save energy and better use the available daylight during summer. The idea is to shift the clock forward by one hour during the summer so that the sun rises and sets an hour later, providing more evening daylight when people are more likely to be awake and active.
The actual implementation of DST was during the first World War when there was a need to conserve fuel and electricity for the war effort. Even after the war, many of the countries that used DST during the war continue to do so to this day. The continued use of DST brings up the point, is it still relevant in our modern-day world?

There are various reasons why Daylight Savings Time is irrelevant nowadays:
Energy savings: The original goal of Daylight Savings Time was to save energy by extending daylight availability in the evening. However, with modern technology and changing energy use patterns, the amount of energy saved by Daylight Savings Time is now considered negligible.
Health concerns: Changing the clocks twice a year can disrupt our natural sleep patterns, affecting our health and well-being. Some studies have even linked Daylight Savings Time to an increased risk of heart attacks and car accidents.
Globalization: In today’s globalized economy, many businesses operate across multiple time zones, which can make Daylight Savings Time confusing and inconvenient. It can also cause problems for international travel and communication where in some places it is used, while in others it is not.
Agriculture: Daylight Savings Time initially benefited farmers by giving them more daylight to work with, but modern farming practices have made this less relevant. Many modern farms use artificial lighting and other technologies to manage their operations, making Daylight Savings Time less critical for agricultural purposes.

Overall, while Daylight Savings Time may have served a purpose in the past, it is no longer relevant or necessary in our modern-day and should be removed.