Daylight Saving Time (DST)—often colloquially referred to as “saved time”—is the practice of advancing clocks forward by one hour during the warmer months so that darkness falls at a later clock time. ⏰ How it Works
The annual cycle shifts an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening to better align with human waking hours.
Spring Forward: On the second Sunday of March, clocks move forward from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., “losing” an hour of sleep.
Fall Back: On the first Sunday of November, clocks move back from 2:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., returning to Standard Time and “gaining” an hour. 📜 Origins and History
Early Concepts: Benjamin Franklin satirically suggested waking up earlier to save on candle wax in 1784. Later, New Zealand entomologist George Hudson proposed a time shift in 1895 to have more evening daylight for collecting insects.
Widespread Adoption: Germany became the first country to officially implement DST in 1916 during World War I to conserve fuel and energy. The United States adopted it shortly after in 1918.
Standardization: In the U.S., the Uniform Time Act of 1966 ended a chaotic patchwork of local time rules by standardizing the practice nationwide. 🌍 Who Uses It? What is Daylight Saving Time | Facts for Kids