Should California keep Daylight Saving Time? Elsner’s Examination Con

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Steven Elsner ’20

Steven Elsner ’20, Staff Reporter

Daylight Saving is the practice of advancing clocks during summer months so that evening daylight lasts longer, while sacrificing normal sunrise times. It was instituted to save energy, but it is actually is creating more energy usage because the sun out longer means that people have to use air conditioning longer, using more energy.

When the clock goes back to normal, it makes people use heaters more to keep warm and use more energy. I think we should get rid of Daylight Saving time. I find it annoying to have to change clocks for something that was used more than 80 years ago.

According to businessinsider. com, changing the clocks will cause air travel synchronization a lot harder, and can cause travel delays, and cause the airline to lose money. Also, there are  health issues that are associated with Daylight Saving time like jet-lag. It disrupts sleep, mood, stress levels, metabolism, and other bodily functions. Some have even linked it to an increase in suicides and miscarriages.

A study suggests that it can take three weeks to adjust to the time change. The most common reason why people want to get rid of Daylight Saving is because it messes with people’s sleeping schedule and routines.

According to healthline.com, researchers in various studies have concluded that traffic accidents, heart attacks and strokes occur in the days following the clock changing ritual. A 2015 study found that people had 24 percent increase in getting a heart attack when the clock jumps forward and 21 percent reduction when it falls back.

Also, a 2016 study showed an 8 percent jump in strokes in the days following the spring time change, as well as an increase in traffic fatalities. There are two states that only used the spring forward time, and that is Florida and Arizona. Most countries outside of Europe and North America do not take part in Daylight Saving.

Over the long run, proponents say, Daylight Saving time may cause deaths in the immediate period following the time shift, but the quality-of-life improvements from evening daylight over the course of the spring and summer leads to net long-term health benefits.