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Exploring Daylight Saving Time: Benefits and Drawbacks


Daylight Savings is when you set your clock an hour back, giving many the mindset of Summer. Daylight Savings was created in 1918 to invent a way to save energy and get more out of our most abundant renewable energy source, sunlight. The U.S. is one of 70 countries that participate in it. Many U.S. territories and two states, Arizona and Hawaii, don't use DST, meaning they don't change their clocks.


Most Americans love having the "extra hour" because it means more daylight, staying out longer, an extra hour of sleep, and the summer mindset. Along with the many benefits Daylight Savings presents, many people don't like it because it can disrupt sleep schedules. It also fights our ingrained circadian rhythm, which is our internal clock that controls our sleep and tiredness. Americans are split on the idea, however, most agree that we shouldn't change our clocks.


This debate has gained so much attention that the U.S. government decided to get involved. They proposed the Sunshine Project to Congress as a United States federal law. This was introduced so that Americans wouldn't have to change their clocks twice a year, only leave them an hour behind. After the Sunshine Project had been a recurring topic in multiple sessions of Congress, it was finally passed unanimously in 2022. Currently, we know that there is no word on the bill being passed in the House of Representatives. So, it's up to you. Should the House pass the bill, or do the pros outweigh the cons?

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