It’s winter time and that means it’s daylight savings and the students at HHS are not happy about it. Personally, I’m not too fond of daylight savings time (DST) because it messes up my sleep schedule.
According to Newsweek, “DST was introduced in the U.S. with the Standard Time Act of 1918 as a measure to save resources needed for the war and to extend the working day. It was repealed and reinstated several times, leading to some becoming accustomed to the practice. In the following years, local jurisdictions were given the option to decide whether and when they would observe DST.”
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a set DST date across the U.S. to simplify the process and gave states the option to exempt themselves. Only two states, Hawaii and Arizona, are currently exempt from observing DST.
Some people have told me that it takes two weeks for them to fully get used to the change to DST. They don’t like going to bed early because they have full-time jobs that are already tiring. Since the time change, they go to bed way too early– like they would go to bed at ten but now they would go to bed at eight. Personally, the time change is making me wake up late, and according to the student handbook, we can’t miss three or more days of class or we have to take exams. Other students are mad that they can’t wake up for school on time and feel miserable for the rest of the day. Parents also have a hard time waking up as well.
On the other hand, The time change is good for promoting safety and preventing crimes. According to Britannica ProCon, it makes it safe for joggers, people walking dogs after work, and children playing outside, among others, because drivers can see people more easily.
But, the time change can also be bad for many reasons such as bad health, changing sleep patterns, and a failure to save energy. According to Time and Date, more daylight was once a good thing because it meant less use of artificial light and more energy savings. Modern society, with its computers, TV screens, and air conditioning units, use more energy, no matter if the sun is up or not. Studies also link the lack of sleep at the start of DST to car accidents, workplace injuries, suicide, and miscarriages.
There are pros and cons to DLS, but as a student, it really does put a significant weight on my shoulders to change my sleep schedule. Sleep is one of the most important factors for managing stress and maintaining mental health, so I think it’s time to follow the lead of some other states and change the time change. Sleep is one of the most important factors for managing stress and maintaining mental health, so I think it’s time to follow the lead of some other states and change the time change.