How would permanent Daylight Saving Time affect you?

By Sarah-Grace Mankarious, Marco Chacón and Taylor Su, CNN

Updated on October 31, 2024

It’s that time of year when those long forgotten analog clocks need manual adjusting, such as that wristwatch you wear on special occasions. On the first Sunday in November, most of the United States prepares to “fall back” to standard time after spending half the year in Daylight Saving Time, or DST. Not every part of the US makes the switch — most of Arizona doesn’t with the exception of the Navajo Nation, and neither do Hawaii and some US territories. Other countries in the Northern Hemisphere follow this ritual, which includes winding the clocks forward in spring.

Once suggested by Benjamin Franklin as a cost-saving measure, Daylight Saving Time was ultimately created to extend daylight hours during the summer months. The practice was first implemented across the US and Europe to save energy costs during World War I and was reinstated during World War II. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a uniform Daylight Saving Time system across the US.

Every so often, there’s talk about making the annual “spring forward” to Daylight Saving Time permanent. The country briefly tried permanent Daylight Saving Time during the energy crisis of the 1970s, but there has since been a lot of research on the impact permanent DST would have on health and safety. Some US politicians are pushing for it once again, most recently reintroducing the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023 in the Senate, though passage is not expected anytime soon.