You’ve got to get up pretty early in the morning to beat the United States to Daylight Savings Time.

That’s certainly the case again this year, when Daylight Savings Time kicks in  at 2:00 a.m. local time, Sunday, March 8th. You can thank the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for the change, which extended Daylight Savings by four weeks, beginning last year. It’s “spring forward, fall back,” so if your local sunrise was around 6:00 a.m. local on Standard Time, it will rise after 7:00 and set an hour later under the DST scheme.

Europe joins the United States on Summer Time the last Sunday in March.

So what’s the big idea behind Daylight Savings Time, other than giving us twice-annual cues to change our smoke detector batteries? Theoretically, at least, it’s about saving energy. In practice, it’s mostly wishful thinking.

A little history

Daylight Savings got its start in the U.S. during World War I, when the country moved its clocks ahead to take advantage of later hours of daylight. The plan was to keep factories producing a little later into the day, and the practice was revived for World War II. It became a permanent fixture in 1966 with the passage of the Uniform Time Act.

The reasoning is this: more people are awake and active late in the day, thus requiring lighting, than during the early morning hours. While people starting their day before sunrise will use as much power as before, more people than not get to enjoy the illusion of a longer day. They’ll flip on fewer light switches and receive the benefit of later outdoor activities.

So thinks the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, which estimates that Daylight Savings Time saves the equivalent of 100,000 barrels of oil a day. While that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the country’s daily oil consumption, it adds up over time. And everybody agrees that saving energy is a good thing.

Well, that’s the theory.

In fact, there’s very little evidence to suggest these savings are happening. The few real studies on the subject are hard-pressed to find appreciable energy-saving benefits.

Objections to Daylight Savings Time

One such project was undertaken by California in the wake of its 2001 energy crisis. The study concluded that the main benefit of Daylight Savings was a 3.5 percent decline in energy use during peak periods. But the overall energy savings seemed rather meager — about a half of one percent, suggesting that DST was simply distributing energy use differently, rather than actually being responsible for measurable reductions.

The picture gets even murkier when variations in regional weather and actual daylight time are taken into consideration. In the north, where it’s still cold in mid-March, Daylight Savings Time isn’t likely to extend outdoor activities. In the south — and particularly in places like Puerto Rico — the days are a bit longer than in the northern latitudes, anyway. But no major national studies exist to see what DST savings might be happening in the real world.

What’s for sure is that there’s no shortage of opponents to Daylight Savings Time. In the U.S., the 6-million member National PTA (Parent-Teachers Association) issued a press release critical of of the time change, citing safety concerns regarding children who must wait for school buses in early morning darkness. Software companies have been forced to update computer operating systems to accommodate the new Daylight Savings plan. And a host of religious groups also take issue with DST, saying the change upsets their ability to worship according to local sunrise and sunset times.

Perhaps the most vocal opposition to Daylight Savings Time comes from the airline industry. Already struggling with increasing fuel costs, the airlines warn that the shift will put their schedules out of synch with other international carriers, costing millions of dollars in additional terminal fees and administrative costs.

There’s also the issue of how human sleep is effected by observed daylight hours. Some pediatricians fret that children — who particularly need regimented sleep schedules — may be unduly stressed by shifting gears twice a year. And doctors are increasingly conscious of sleep disorders in adults. Most Americans don’t get enough, and there’s no research to explore how already fractured sleep schedules might be impacted by an hour’s offset from standard time.

What you can do

The pros and cons aside, an early Daylight Savings Time will be a fact of life for Americans beginning this year. Want to make the best of it? Here are a few tips.

Let the sun shine in. The best way to adjust to a shift in local daylight is to let your body know it’s happening. Unless you’re using your curtains to insulate against cold weather, open them late in the day and get used to the light. Your metabolism will fall into line after a couple of weeks.

Get outdoors. One of the primary benefits of Daylight Savings Time is the opportunity to be outside later in the day. Go for a walk, jog, or ride ride your bike. The exercise will also make it easier to settle into bed.

Not so quick on that switch. Most of us turn on room lights as a matter of habit. For the next few weeks, keep the extended daylight in mind as you move around your house late in the day. This is easier if the curtains are open. Think before you reach for the light switch.

Watch out for children. Be aware of kids moving around in the dark if you’re an early commuter. If you’ve got school age children who will be waiting for their bus close to dawn, make sure they’ve got some light-colored or reflectorized clothing.

Update your computer. Most of the major operating system manufacturers have shipped patches than need to be installed if you want your computer to spring forward and fall back on schedule this year. Run your Windows, Linux, or Macintosh software update routines and follow the prompts.

Link: Lighter Footstep