Daylight Saving Time 2015: Know When To Turn Your Clocks Back This Weekend

Every year, millions of people have to set their clock forward one hour and back one hour even if they do no traveling of any kind. It can seem like a pain or a blessing, but it’s something that many have to do or else they won’t be on par with everyone else. This weekend, it’s time to remember that the spring forward is gone; now, you have to fall back and this is when Daylight Saving Time 2015 ends.

With Daylight Saving Time falling on a weekend, it won’t affect as many people in the workforce. There’s noting worse than arriving to work an hour late (spring) or an hour early (fall), but not everyone will have to deal with that this weekend.

That being said, here are some facts you need to know about the time change this weekend, including when to set your clocks back, the affect it has on you, and why it even happens at all. It may also be good to realize that you get a full extra hour to enjoy the Halloween evening.

1. When do clocks need to be changed?

Daylight Saving Time 2015 officially ends in the middle of the night between Saturday and Sunday. On Nov. 1 at 2 a.m., move your clocks back one hour. If you’re heading to bed earlier than that, do it when you go to sleep so it will already be completed when you wake up in the morning.

For next year, the second Sunday in March of 2016 will be the day we “spring forward” and clocks move ahead an hour.

2. Who came up with the idea of Daylight Saving Time and why?

As the Telegraph pointed out, Daylight Saving Time came about because of Benjamin Franklin. He wrote an essay called, “An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light.” He suggested that people get up earlier to make better use of the available light and therefore save money on candle wax.

William Willett really got it going in 1907 when he introduced British Summer Time or Daylight Saving Time. This was to prevent people from wasting valuable hours of light in the summer mornings.

3. How do you say it properly?

Daylight Savings Time – WRONG

Daylight Saving Time or DST – RIGHT

4. Do all states take part in Daylight Saving Time?

Hawaii and Arizona, except for the Navajo Nation, do not take part in Daylight Saving Time as National Geographic states. After Daylight Saving Time 2015, parts of Arizona will match up with Mountain Time instead of Pacific Time.

U.S. territories the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and American Samoa also do not observe the practice. A number of other states have attempted to pass bills to end it, but they’ve failed.

5. What effect will Daylight Saving Time have on me?

That all depends on the age of a person, their eating schedule, their sleeping schedule, and even their work schedule. Older people may end up struggling more with the time change, but it could have an effect on virtually everyone.

After a day or so though, the average human being should be able to adjust to the difference. Yes, it’s an extra hour of sleep but with your body already in a routine, it may be hard to take advantage of it for a few days.

Daylight Saving Time 2015 is quickly approaching and this weekend will be the fall back portion of the annual occurrence. Just remember to set your clocks back so that you’re on time with virtually the rest of the United States.

[Image via Jeff J. Mitchell]