Definitive Guide to Daylight Saving Time
Seize the day and seize the daylight. When the clock changes twice per year we lose and gain an hour of sleep. Of course, losing an hour of sleep is unpleasant but with some tricks and tips, you can navigate the choppy waters of DST (daylight saving time) and remain full of energy every day.
How Did Daylight Saving Time Start?
The U.S. has been falling back and springing forward since 1918 and at 2 am on March 14, 2021, the tradition of daylight savings time continues and the clocks will spring forward by one hour. In the late 19th Century, Europe and the U.S. adopted daylight savings time changes to maximize productivity from daylight hours. The Standard Time Act that defines U.S. time zones was introduced alongside the daylight saving times change in 1918.
Why Did Daylight Saving Time Start?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) was introduced to enhance productivity during daylight hours and save energy. In the late 19th Century, energy was heavily reliant on coal, having an extra hour of daylight to work meant consuming less energy. But, in modern times the energy-saving properties of DST are nominal. Observing Daylight Saving Time allows us to take advantage of an extra hour of sunlight in the evening for those in the Northern Hemisphere.
Countries near the equator maintain a consistent sun position so do not need Daylight Saving Time DST. During the oil crisis in the 1970s, after WW1 and WW2, treasurys’ were almost empty. Implementing DST was somewhat beneficial then but now, many countries are abolishing the practice entirely. In the United States, bills are introduced every year from States like California, Florida, Montana, Texas, and Nebraska who want to repeal the annual adjust to the time but with no success.
Daylight Saving Time Around the World
Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. and U.S. Territories
With the exception of Arizona and Hawaii, all U.S. states observe Daylight Saving Time. However, the Navajo Nation (northeast Arizona) does observe DST. Puerto Rico, the Northern Marina Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam do not.
What Countries Observe Daylight Saving Time?
The following places observe Daylight Saving Time (updated 2023). In the United States, DST takes effect the second Sunday of March. However, many other countries follow a different schedule. Below, you'll see when the springtime time change takes place in each country—whether it marks the beginning or end of Daylight Saving Time.
A
- Åland Islands: Last Sunday in March
- Albania: Last Sunday in March
- Andorra: Last Sunday in March
- Antarctica: DST is followed at certain research stations in Antarctica
- Australia: DST is observed in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and Norfolk Island. It ends the first Sunday in April.
- Austria: Last Sunday in March
B
- Bahamas: Second Sunday in March
- Belgium: Last Sunday in March
- Bermuda: Second Sunday in March
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Last Sunday in March
- Bouvet Island: Last Sunday in March
- Bulgaria: Last Sunday in March
C
- Canada: DST is observed countrywide except Yukon, parts of Saskatchewan, parts of Québec, Southampton Island, and parts of British Columbia. It starts the second Sunday in March.
- Chile: DST is observed countrywide except Magallanes Region. It starts the first Saturday in April.
- Croatia: Last Sunday in March
- Cuba: Second Sunday in March
- Cyprus: Last Sunday in March
- Czechia (Czech Republic): Last Sunday in March
D
- Denmark: Last Sunday in March
E
- Egypt: Last Friday in April
- Estonia: Last Sunday in March
F
- Faroe Islands: Last Sunday in March
- Finland: Last Sunday in March
- France: Last Sunday in March
G
- Germany: Last Sunday in March
- Gibraltar: Last Sunday in March
- Greece: Last Sunday in March
- Guernsey: Last Sunday in March
H
- Haiti: Second Sunday in March
- Hungary: Last Sunday in March
I
- Ireland: Last Sunday in March
- Isle of Man: Last Sunday in March
- Israel: Friday before the last Sunday in March
- Italy: Last Sunday in March
J
- Jersey: Last Sunday in March
K
- Kosovo: Last Sunday in March
L
- Latvia: Last Sunday in March
- Lebanon: Last Thursday in March
- Liechtenstein: Last Sunday in March
- Lithuania: Last Sunday in March
- Luxembourg: Last Sunday in March
M
- Malta: Last Sunday in March
- Mexico: Second Sunday in March
- Moldova: Last Sunday in March
- Monaco: Last Sunday in March
- Montenegro: Last Sunday in March
- Morocco: Sunday before Ramadan
N
- Netherlands: Last Sunday in March
- New Zealand: First Sunday in April
- Norfolk Island: First Sunday in April
- North Macedonia: Last Sunday in March
- Norway: Last Sunday in March
P
- Palestine: Last Saturday in April
- Paraguay: Last Sunday in March
- Poland: Last Sunday in March
- Portugal: Last Sunday in March
R
- Romania: Last Sunday in March
S
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon: Second Sunday in March
- San Marino: Last Sunday in March
- Serbia: Last Sunday in March
- Slovakia: Last Sunday in March
- Slovenia: Last Sunday in March
- Spain: Last Sunday in March
- Sweden: Last Sunday in March
- Switzerland: Last Sunday in March
T
- Turks and Caicos: Second Sunday in March
U
- Ukraine: DST is only in observed in some regions of Ukraine, starting the last Sunday in March
- United Kingdom: Last Sunday in March
V
- Vatican City: Last Sunday in March
W
- Western Sahara: The portion of Western Sahara administered by Morocco observes DST beginning the Sunday before Ramadan
What Countries Don't Observe Daylight Saving Time?
The following countries do NOT observe Daylight Savings Time (updated 2023):
A
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Azerbaijan
B
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
C
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Caribbean Netherlands
- Cayman Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Christmas Island
- Clipperton Island
- Cocos Islands
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Congo Dem. Rep.
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Curaçao
D
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
E
- East Timor (Timor-Leste)
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
F
- Falkland Islands
- Fiji
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
G
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Greenland (Last time change in 2023)
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
H
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
I
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
J
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
K
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
L
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
M
- Macau
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
N
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- New Caledonia
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- North Korea
- Northern Mariana Islands
O
- Oman
P
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Pitcairn Islands
- Puerto Rico
Q
- Qatar
R
- Réunion (French)
- Russia
- Rwanda
S
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Vincent and Grenadines
- Samoa
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sint Maarten
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Saint Barthélemy
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Syria
T
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
U
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
V
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
W
- Wallis and Futuna
Y
- Yemen
Z
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Source: https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/statistics.html
Is Daylight Saving Important for Your Health, and How Does it Affect Sleep?
Your circadian rhythm is set by your hormones and sunrise/sunset times. When Daylight Saving Time begins in March, the clocks spring forward by 1 hour. Daylight Saving Time ends in November, when the clocks fall back by 1 hour. Ushering in fall and winter standard time. In the summertime, we relish that extra hour of sunlight but when that Sunday in November rolls around, we want to pull the covers over our head and not think about losing an hour of sleep.
Tip: One week before DST, start going to bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier.
At that time of year when Daylight Saving Time Fall Back, the seasonal affective disorder is at its highest. Therefore, it is important to mitigate the negative effects of DST by being kind to yourself and preparing your schedule and body for the change.
How to Prepare for Daylight Saving Time
When the clocks back one hour it can make us a little grumpy. During this time, enjoy some comfort food and a little time curled up on the couch with a good book or favorite movie, easing yourself into fall and winter. Establishing a healthy bedtime routine is essential to physical health and mental wellbeing, whether you observe DST or not.
- One week before DST, start going to bed 15-30 minutes earlier
- Be consistent with your schedule
- Avoid napping if possible or stick to short 20 minute naps only
- Avoid caffeine after 1 p.m.
- Establish a nighttime a wind-down well routine—for example: turn off your cell phone 1 hour before bed, keep electronic devices out of your bedroom if possible and read paperbacks or magazines instead, enjoy a hot bath or shower before bed to help you relax, or do some light yoga or stretches
Conclusion
If you are observing Daylight Saving Time, it is important to get enough quality rest and be consistent with your sleep schedule.
The Monday following daylight savings spring forward in March has been established as a high-risk time for heart attacks. A study noted an increase in heart attacks compared to the daily average when daylight saving time begins. Workers are more likely to have accidents following the time change and pets can be a little confused receiving their meals an hour later than normal. Sticking to your sleep schedule, eating well, and getting plenty of exercise and fresh air can help you get through Daylight Saving Time with ease.
Disclaimer: Nolah does not provide medical advice. All resources on the Nolah blog, including this article, are informational only and do not replace professional medical counsel. Talk to your doctor about any health, mental health, or sleep-related issues.
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