It’s time to get ready to spring your clocks forward once again this year. Why do we do this and is it finally time to get rid of the practice?
The practice of day light savings and moving our clocks back and forth goes back to a time when the U.S. was an agricultural society. According to farmers in upstate New York, having the time change is helpful for those working out in the field as it adds one extra hour of light to the end of the day. However in an increasingly more industrial and technologically based society, the practice seems outdated (at least for those of us city dwellers).
At the moment, Florida has jumped on the bandwagon of the “anti-time change” movement to get rid of daylight savings. The state has even recently passed a bill at the state senate to stop the clock changes. While it still needs approval from the governor, this Florida initiative is backed by studies highlighting the health problems associated with the annual time change and is gaining popularity among other states.
In New York, the movement is growing as well. In a recent poll, upwards of 80% of New Yorkers asked were in favor of getting rid of daylight savings time. The push to get rid of this agricultural tradition stems from studies based on sleep patterns. Shifting the clock one hour, twice a year, creates a jet lag type effect that disrupts the natural circadian rhythm of the body causing potential health problems.
Featured image: ispynyc.wordpress.com