No, Daylight Saving Time Doesn’t Mean You Get More Sunlight

THIS ARTICLE WAS UPDATED ON AUGUST 7TH 2024.

Twice a year folks in America have to adjust their clocks for Daylight Saving Time, and most of the reasons you've been told as to why are lies.

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What's funny is some of the myths have been repeated ad nauseam for so long they have become "truths". It's like the saying "you only use 10% of your brain", that is also a lie.

So, what are some of the myths surrounding Daylight Saving Time?

Myth 1: Benjamin Franklin proposed it

This stems from him writing a satire letter while he was an envoy in Paris. In it he included "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

It was first proposed by a New Zealand entomologist, who liked to collect bugs, named George Hudson. He wanted to move it by 2 hours so he'd have more time to collect.

Myth 2: It was for the farmers

Farmers were actually some of the most vocal opponents of using DST. The myth stems from that that extra hour would give them more time in the fields when it actually gave them one hour less to harvest fields. Ranchers didn't like it either as it meant milking cows an hour before they were ready.

Myth 3: It saves energy

Yeah, about that, turns out it's a lie as well. If it saves any energy it's not worth all the headache we all go through twice a year to remember to change our clocks.  The amount of energy we save is about .003%. I know that I wasn't very good in math, but that saves me about half a penny a month.

Myth 4: It makes you healthier

This one would seem easy to believe. More sun=More vitamin D, which is good for us. No one is going to argue that, HOWEVER, there are lots of negatives that come from the time changes. From workplace accidents to increase in suicides to headaches. We just end up feeling "off" until our natural sleep patterns readjust.