This is quite a unique phenomenon practiced all over the world in many countries. This is done to make the most use of the daylight that is available to us depending on the geography of the place. However, it is important to note that not all of the countries around the world do this. What is it actually? You ask. Well, this basically pertains to all of the clocks within a country being turned one hour forward in spring. And setting the clock back by an exact one hour in autumn. This is basically done to add an hour of daylight in spring and compensate for it in autumn when we already have long days
This extra hour of daylight could then be conveniently used by people to go out with their families as they will be getting free from their office and other official duties an hour ahead. And will ultimately have the time to go on and do what they want to do while the sun is still up. This idea was first proposed by George Hudson from New Zealand, who initially proposed a 2-hour time shift in clocks so that he along with his friends would have more time to go for bug hunting in the summer. A few years later, this idea was appreciated by William Willett who then proposed this in front of the Parliament as a suggestion for saving daylight time of the people of the whole wide nation
Two of the many people who supported this idea were Winston Churchill and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But this didn’t stop the idea from being rejected in the start by the parliament. But eventually, this idea started gaining some popularity and was first materialized by the German Government.
A bit more about how it began
The idea of DST was firstly implemented on a whole nation on April 30th, 1916 as a way for the germans to conserve as much energy as they could. Soon, this decision was followed by many other countries that were fighting in World War 1. It was only after four years of the first implementation in Germany that the United States Government also deemed fit to pass its first daylight saving Law in 1918. This act of the parliament went on to even defining different time zones for its different states
Some effects of the Daylight saving time
Though the amount of daylight time that people have in the DST using area is more. There are some effects that it has on the overall state, which might sound a bit peculiar. like the following
- More use of the world wide web during working hours: It was found in a 2012 Journal of Applied Psychology study that the incidences of roaming on the internet increased in over 200 metropolitan U.S. regions during the first Monday after daylight saving time in the spring, in comparison with the Mondays directly before and one week after the transition. The team further concluded that this was due the lack of sleep which ultimately led to people feeling more Lethargic and unmotivated to get actual work done
- An increase in work-related injuries: This can prove to be quite a big consequent especially for people who work in construction companies and jobs that require moving a lot of moving around and body-strength. It was said by the Journal of Applied Psychology study that was held in 2009 that studied actual mine workers and saw that they arrived at work with 40 minutes less sleep due to DST. And ultimately were 5.7% more prone to workplace injuries in the week directly following the springtime daylight saving transition than during any other days of the year. Moreover, the researchers went on to conclude that this was also due to the lack of the sleep they got due to DST as their was no such increase during the autumn time when the workers were getting just another hour to rest in their beds and sleep
- People having more headaches: This is another effect that is prompted due to DST. This effect can obviously vary from person to person, but there are people that are more affected by the sudden change in their overall routine. As not all bodies are that good at adapting such stuff
Why do we still use DST?
Nearly 40% of the countries around the world still use DST around the world as of now. The countries that do this do it for the same reason and that as we said is to give their residents an hour more of daylight. The regions that are near the Pole like Australia are the ones that see the most change after implementing DST. Moreover, DST also leads to lesser artificial light and lesser energy consumption as people would be able to rely on sunlight more. This is more the case for countries as you move away from the Equator as this logic doesn’t really stand much for countries near the equator and on it
When does the DST( Daylight saving Time ) start and end?
It varies from place to place so down below is a list from Wikipedia about all the DSTs around the world
| Country/Territory | Continent/Subregion | DST start | DST end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Asia | – | – |
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK) | Asia | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Albania | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Algeria | Africa | – | – |
| American Samoa (US) | Oceania | – | – |
| Andorra | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Angola | Africa | – | – |
| Anguilla (UK) | West Indies | – | – |
| Antigua and Barbuda | West Indies | – | – |
| Argentina | South America | – | – |
| Armenia | Asia | – | – |
| Aruba (NL) | West Indies | – | – |
| Ascension (UK) | Africa | – | – |
| Australia | Oceania | First Sunday of October at 02:00 | First Sunday of April at 02:00 |
| Austria | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Azerbaijan | Asia & Europe | – | – |
| Bahamas, The | West Indies | Second Sunday March | First Sunday November |
| Bahrain | Asia | – | – |
| Baker Island (US) | Oceania | – | – |
| Bangladesh | Asia | – | – |
| Barbados | West Indies | – | – |
| Belarus | Europe | – | – |
| Belgium | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Belize | Central America | – | – |
| Benin | Africa | – | – |
| Bermuda (UK) | Northern America | Second Sunday March | First Sunday November |
| Bhutan | Asia | – | – |
| Bolivia | South America | – | – |
| Bonaire (NL) | West Indies | – | – |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Botswana | Africa | – | – |
| Brazil | South America | – | – |
| British Virgin Islands (UK) | West Indies | – | – |
| Brunei | Asia | – | – |
| Bulgaria | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Burkina Faso | Africa | – | – |
| Burundi | Africa | – | – |
| Cambodia | Asia | – | – |
| Cameroon | Africa | – | – |
| Canada | Northern America | Second Sunday March at 02:00 (for most of Canada) | First Sunday November at 02:00 (for most of Canada) |
| Cape Verde | Africa | – | – |
| Cayman Islands (UK) | West Indies | – | – |
| Central African Republic | Africa | – | – |
| Chad | Africa | – | – |
| Chile | South America | First Sunday September | First Sunday April |
| China | Asia | – | – |
| Christmas Island (AU) | Oceania | – | – |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands (AU) | Oceania | – | – |
| Colombia | South America | – | – |
| Comoros | Africa | – | – |
| Cook Islands (NZ) | Oceania | – | – |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | Africa | – | – |
| Congo, Republic of the | Africa | – | – |
| Costa Rica | Central America | – | – |
| Croatia | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Cuba | West Indies | Second Sunday March | First Sunday November |
| Curacao (NL) | West Indies | – | – |
| Cyprus | Asia | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Czechia (Czech Republic) | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Denmark | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Djibouti | Africa | – | – |
| Dominica | West Indies | – | – |
| Dominican Republic | West Indies | – | – |
| East Timor | Asia | – | – |
| Ecuador | South America | – | – |
| Egypt | Africa & Asia | – | – |
| El Salvador | Central America | – | – |
| Equatorial Guinea | Africa | – | – |
| Eritrea | Africa | – | – |
| Estonia | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Eswatini (Swaziland) | Africa | – | – |
| Ethiopia | Africa | – | – |
| Faroe Islands (DK) | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Falkland Islands (UK) | South America | – | – |
| Fiji | Oceania | First Sunday November | Third Sunday January |
| Finland | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| France | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| French Guiana (FR) | South America | – | – |
| French Polynesia (FR) | Oceania | – | – |
| French Southern Territories (FR) | Africa | – | – |
| Gabon | Africa | – | – |
| Gambia, The | Africa | – | – |
| Georgia | Asia & Europe | – | – |
| Germany | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Ghana | Africa | – | – |
| Greece | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Greenland (DK) | Northern America | Saturday before last Sunday March at 22:00 local time on | Saturday before last Sunday October at 23:00 local time on |
| Grenada | West Indies | – | – |
| Guadeloupe (FR) | West Indies | – | – |
| Guam (US) | Oceania | – | – |
| Guatemala | Central America | – | – |
| Guernsey (UK) | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Guinea | Africa | – | – |
| Guinea-Bissau | Africa | – | – |
| Guyana | South America | – | – |
| Haiti | West Indies | Second Sunday March | First Sunday November |
| Heard and McDonald Islands (AU) | Oceania | – | – |
| Holy See (Vatican City) | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Honduras | Central America | – | – |
| Hong Kong (CN) | Asia | – | – |
| Howland Island (US) | Oceania | – | – |
| Hungary | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Iceland | Europe | – | – |
| India | Asia | – | – |
| Indonesia | Asia & Oceania | – | – |
| Iraq | Asia | – | – |
| Iran | Asia | March 21–22 | September 21–22 |
| Ireland | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Isle of Man (UK) | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Israel | Asia | Friday before last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Italy | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Ivory Coast | Africa | – | – |
| Jamaica | West Indies | – | – |
| Japan | Asia | – | – |
| Jersey (UK) | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Jordan | Asia | Last Friday March | Last Friday October |
| Kazakhstan | Asia & Europe | – | – |
| Kenya | Africa | – | – |
| Kiribati | Oceania | – | – |
| Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of | Asia | – | – |
| Korea, Republic of | Asia | – | – |
| Kosovo | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Kuwait | Asia | – | – |
| Kyrgyzstan | Asia | – | – |
| Laos | Asia | – | – |
| Latvia | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Lebanon | Asia | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Lesotho | Africa | – | – |
| Liberia | Africa | – | – |
| Libya | Africa | – | – |
| Liechtenstein | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Lithuania | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Luxembourg | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Macau (CN) | Asia | – | – |
| Madagascar | Africa | – | – |
| Malawi | Africa | – | – |
| Malaysia | Asia | – | – |
| Maldives | Asia | – | – |
| Mali | Africa | – | – |
| Malta | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Marshall Islands | Oceania | – | – |
| Martinique (FR) | West Indies | – | – |
| Mauritania | Africa | – | – |
| Mauritius | Africa | – | – |
| Mexico | Central America | First Sunday April | Last Sunday October |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Oceania | – | – |
| Midway Island (US) | Oceania | – | – |
| Moldova | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Monaco | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Mongolia | Asia | – | – |
| Montenegro | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Montserrat (UK) | West Indies | – | – |
| Morocco | Africa | – | – |
| Mozambique | Africa | – | – |
| Myanmar (Burma) | Asia | – | – |
| Namibia | Africa | – | – |
| Nauru | Oceania | – | – |
| Nepal | Asia | – | – |
| Netherlands | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| New Caledonia (FR) | Oceania | – | – |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Last Sunday September | First Sunday April |
| Nicaragua | Central America | – | – |
| Niger | Africa | – | – |
| Nigeria | Africa | – | – |
| Niue (NZ) | Oceania | – | – |
| Norfolk Island (AU) | Oceania | First Sunday of October at 2:00 am | First Sunday of April at 2:00 am |
| Northern Mariana Islands (US) | Oceania | – | – |
| North Macedonia | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| Norway | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Oman | Asia | – | – |
| Pakistan | Asia | – | – |
| Palau | Oceania | – | – |
| Palestine | Asia | – | – |
| Panama | Central America & South America | – | – |
| Papua New Guinea | Oceania | – | – |
| Paraguay | South America | First Sunday October | Fourth Sunday March |
| Peru | South America | – | – |
| Philippines | Asia | – | – |
| Pitcairn Islands (UK) | Oceania | – | – |
| Poland | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Portugal | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Puerto Rico (US) | West Indies | – | – |
| Qatar | Asia | – | – |
| Romania | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Russia | Europe & Asia | – | – |
| Rwanda | Africa | – | – |
| Saba (NL) | West Indies | – | – |
| Saint Barthélemy (FR) | West Indies | – | – |
| Saint Helena (UK) | Africa | – | – |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | West Indies | – | – |
| Saint Lucia | West Indies | – | – |
| Saint Martin (FR) | West Indies | – | – |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon (FR) | Northern America | Second Sunday March | First Sunday November |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | West Indies | – | – |
| Samoa | Oceania | Last Sunday September | First Sunday April |
| San Marino | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday of October |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Africa | – | – |
| Saudi Arabia | Asia | – | – |
| Senegal | Africa | – | – |
| Serbia | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Seychelles | Africa | – | – |
| Sierra Leone | Africa | – | – |
| Singapore | Asia | – | – |
| Sint Eustatius (NL) | West Indies | – | – |
| Sint Maarten (NL) | West Indies | – | – |
| Slovakia | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Slovenia | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Solomon Islands | Oceania | – | – |
| Somalia | Africa | – | – |
| South Africa | Africa | – | – |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) | South America | – | – |
| South Sudan | Africa | – | – |
| Spain | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Sri Lanka | Asia | – | – |
| Sudan | Africa | – | – |
| Suriname | South America | – | – |
| Sweden | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Switzerland | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| Syria | Asia | Last Friday March | Last Friday October |
| Taiwan | Asia | – | – |
| Tajikistan | Asia | – | – |
| Tanzania | Africa | – | – |
| Thailand | Asia | – | – |
| Togo | Africa | – | – |
| Tokelau (NZ) | Oceania | – | – |
| Tonga | Oceania | – | – |
| Trinidad and Tobago | West Indies | – | – |
| Tristan da Cunha (UK) | Africa | – | – |
| Tunisia | Africa | – | – |
| Turkey | Asia & Europe | – | – |
| Turkmenistan | Asia | – | – |
| Turks and Caicos (UK) | West Indies | Second Sunday March | First Sunday November |
| Tuvalu | Oceania | – | – |
| Uganda | Africa | – | – |
| Ukraine | Europe | Last Sunday March | Last Sunday October |
| United Arab Emirates | Asia | – | – |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Last Sunday March at 01:00 UTC | Last Sunday October at 01:00 UTC |
| United States | Northern America & Oceania | Second Sunday March | First Sunday November |
| United States Virgin Islands (US) | West Indies | – | – |
| Uruguay | South America | – | – |
| Uzbekistan | Asia | – | – |
| Vanuatu | Oceania | – | – |
| Venezuela | South America | – | – |
| Vietnam | Asia | – | – |
| Wallis and Futuna (FR) | Oceania | – | – |
| Western Sahara | Africa | May 31 | Apr 19 |
| Yemen | Asia | – | – |
| Zambia | Africa | – | – |
| Zimbabwe | Africa | – | – |
Hopefully, this article was helpful in clearing some of your queries about DST and why and when countries all around the world change their times throughout the year twice. And if you want to know why clocks don’t appear in dreams, we have a great article on just that so do give it a click if you are interested “Why don’t clocks appear in dreams? Clocks and dreams!“. And stay tuned to ohmyclock for more interesting articles about clocks
