No Interest on Daylight Savings
By William Shughart • Monday November 8, 2010 5:28 AM PDT • 27 Comments
Americans, except those living in Arizona and Hawaii, got to sleep an extra hour this weekend. Daylight Saving Time (DST) ended at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, November 7, when the local time reset to 1:00 a.m. and the hour “lost” last spring was paid back.
Unfortunately, no interest is earned on those savings. That’s because the length of the day, measured by the number of hours of daylight, is unaffected by “springing forward” or “falling back.”
DST is a ruse that generates no measurable benefits for society, but does impose some real costs on every man, woman and child.
Conceived originally by Ben Franklin, DST was first imposed during the emergencies of the First and Second World Wars, supposedly to furnish workers in defense-related industries an extra hour of daylight at the end of the working day. Of course, many of those industries operated 24/7 and so that hour actually was gained only by people assigned to the first shift.
DST became a permanent fact of life during the energy crises of the 1970s. Its stated purpose was to reduce electricity usage by allowing sunlight to replace artificial light for an hour after commuters had returned to their homes. The goal of energy savings plausibly was fulfilled early on, but nowadays those savings are offset in many parts of the country as workers arriving home in the summer while the sun is still shining crank up their air conditioners.
All of the studies published by professional economists therefore show either no change in energy consumption during the months of DST or a small, but significant increase in it.
DST also supposedly benefits farmers, who get an “extra” hour a day to tend to their fields and livestock herds. Although I am not a farmer – and don’t even play one on TV – I find it improbable that cows and chickens start getting up an hour earlier in the spring and then begin sleeping an hour later in the fall. Like human beings, their internal “clocks” are governed by seasonal changes in the length of the day and, because animals don’t wear watches, don’t really care what time it is.
What are the costs? First and foremost, time is money and time spent adjusting clocks twice a year is a complete waste of it. Even if one does not sacrifice wages before retiring Saturday night, one has to sacrifice something of value, such as missing five or ten minutes of playing with the children, of a favorite TV show, or of sleep. The managers of every hotel in the 48 states that comply with this biannual ritual must assign employees to change the clocks in guest rooms or print and distribute leaflets reminding the current occupants to do so.
Second, and more seriously, clinical studies conducted in Sweden have reported evidence of spikes in heart attack risks in the week following the switch to either daylight savings or standard time. Unlike cows and chickens, the body clocks (circadian rhythms) of people are forced twice a year quickly to accommodate themselves to a new time regime. That adjustment may cause fuzzy-headiness on the job (and lost productivity) for a few days, but in some cases result in death.
Third, and of particular relevance for this season, the return to standard time is associated with an increase in the number of automobile accidents, especially those involving pedestrians, because drivers are not yet accustomed to commuting home in the dark.
So-called standard time lasts for a little over four months. If DST really is the boon our politicians say it is, it ought to be extended year-round. If, as I suggest, it produces no real benefits, then abolish it. One way or the other, it would be far better, in my view, for government to leave our clocks alone
Tags: Culture, Economics, Energy, Liberty, Nanny State, Regulation 
DST year round would be fine.
On standard time, December sunsets where I live are around 4:30PM, which is incredibly depressing.
On standard time in the summer, the sun will wake you up at a perversely early hour.
“Standard” time is bad all year.
RJ | Nov 8, 2010 | Reply
Here in Indiana most of us never had to spring forward or fall back, but every year we were subjected to propaganada and ridicule because we didn’t change our clocks. Finally, as a result of our Republican governor, Mitch ‘Eli Lilly’ Daniels, we were forced onto DST to make it easier for Indiana businesses to do business with out of state companies/customers. Funny, how I’ve been able to do business with out of state contacts for the past 25 years without any impediment. Not one Hoosier I’ve ever spoken to or known wanted the change but it was shoved down our throats anyway.
Paul | Nov 8, 2010 | Reply
Wikipedia has an interesting article on Daylight Savings Time. There’s actually been a number of rationales advanced, but overall the benefits, even if acknowledged, are small and debatable. For example, there may be some health benefits, or not; it may slightly reduce traffic accidents overall, or not. It’s also interesting how many countries have abandoned Daylight Savings. Apparently they wised up.
Joseph K | Nov 8, 2010 | Reply
Bravo! I couldn’t agree more. The concept of DST is an asinine anachronism. I propose that We the People nullify it. The problem with that, of course, is getting Americans to do it. I’ll begin: my clocks remain the same as they were last week. [I admit, it's easier for me: I'm retired.]
I can vouch for the disruption to our biorhythms caused by the twice yearly switch. It is perhaps worse in older folks. Come on, America, nullify it. Government is the servant, not the master.
Scott Haley | Nov 8, 2010 | Reply
I’ve always thought this to be a simple non-partisan issue that Government could do for us that would cost NOTHING... Just end DST. It never was a good idea, and is simply a disruption (I continue waking an hour early for about a week in the Fall when we ‘get our hour back’ anyway). How can we start a referundum on this ?
Tommer | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
I always thought Ben Franklin came up with the idea as a joke and some idiot politician simply didn’t get the joke. I love the line in the article about the cows and chickens not having watches. My thought was always, why reset your clocks? If you need to get up earlier, then GET UP EARLIER. Simple as that. Politicians are mentally unstable.
Amy | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
One of the reasons for daylight savings was to placate the unions but justified by other excuses.
The Air Force uses Greenwitch mean time because it gives an understandable time in all zones. Our time zones begin at Greenwitch and circle the globe so that they roughly comply with sun time. Otherwise, time is fairly arbitrary.
William Shughart can be forgiven for his igorance concerning farming but I can testify that animals do have a time sense and it is quite accurate. Dairy cows do know when they are to be milked and when its time to dump green chop or other feeding routines. Horses also demonstrate this time sense.
The time change is strictly political and has no other justification. We have no problems with dealing with different time zones. And I agree, progressive politics get progressively worse. Much like the salesman and the expert. The salesman meets the public so he learns less and and less about more and more till he knows absolutely noting about the universe. The expert is a specialist so he learns more and more about less and less until he knows virtually everything about nothing at all.
The progressives must progress ... toward less and less until everything is gone.
Whit | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
The whole shift from sun time to standard time and zoned time was to make it simpler to set railroad schedules to avoid head-on collisions. Railroads for the first time in history were a form of movement that was fast enough for the difference in sun time along the route to make a difference.
Formerly the time in each county was set at the courthouse. Everyone in the county set their clocks and watches by the courthouse clock.
Mac | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
I say not only get rid of DST, but time zones as well. Put us all on GMT.
I guess it might make the day/date change more interesting. But does it matter if I get to work at 7:00 am CST or 1300 GMT?
osborn4 | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
Year-round DST was tried back in the 70s as a response to the energy crisis brought on by the Arab oil embargo and didn’t last long. The winter days are so short anyway there was little benefit in saved energy and there was great cost. Children were going to school in complete darkness, leading to increased accidents. It was decided the benefits weren’t worth the cost. NO to year-round DST. Been there, done that.
Pat | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
Ever since the change to lengthen DST, when “standard time” was shortened to about a third of the year, it has made little sense to continue the ruse. I agree completely – if we’re to keep lengthening the DST timeframe, why not just go all the way and make it the “new standard time?” I have many clocks I don’t bother changing to standard time as it’s not worth the effort to do so just to have to change them back a short while later.
J Davis | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
Your mouth to God’s ears.
spanky mccheese | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
I kind of think that somebody in our government gets a power trip out of getting everybody to set their clocks twice a year.
Yet another way for Satan’s helpers to cause some misery. It’s absolutely silly to keep changing clock twice a year.
I always feel like somebody is laughing up their sleeve cause they have the power to pull this stupid thing off twice a year.
If the argument is that we can have more daylight for the school buses in the morning, (setting the clock back), I’d say, start school an hour later. The poor kids need more sleep anyway, they would have one less hour to be home alone in the afternoon.
Carol | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
I’ve often though that if our congress is powerful enough to alter time itself....perhaps they could do something about adjusting the tilt of the earth’s axis. It would be nice to moderate the seasonal swings in climate and even out the hours of light in the process.
Sean | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
Moderation please?
I agree that the DST is a problem.
Carol | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
Daylight Savings Time = government tyranny? Wow, that reaches a whole new level of crazy.
Jack Carter | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
I agree with the sentiment. It’ll happen as soon as we have a libertarian president.
FYI, it’s called “Daylight Saving Time”, not “Daylight SavingS Time.”
Austin | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
I agree, there is no benefit, it is a hardship, re-regulation of your body, it is not productive to have the government pretend that they are God, if God and Jesus wanted it to be so he would have told us. The government pretends to be God, by changing the times, “I before GOD”. Sickening to say the least. POLYTHEISISM. As if God and Jesus did not know how to tell time, or they were to stupid to get it right. VULGARITY at best.
Sherry McKim | Nov 9, 2010 | Reply
I can’t stand DST. It has added no value to my life. Where are all the jobs that would come to Indiana because we switch our clock? Not here. Hmmm, maybe it is something else that needs to change...
Resident of Indiana | Nov 10, 2010 | Reply
I am for permanently staying on DST.
1) After a long day at the office, I prefer to drive home under natural lighting. My eyes aren’t what they used to be. When we switch back to standard time I’m willing to bet accidents increase as motorists are tired and unable to see as clearly as the first thing in the morning. It’s OK to be dark on the morning commute as most people are fresh after a night of sleep (or at least are ingesting caffeine to wake up).
2) Opportunities to do healthy outdoor activities since there’s more light later in the day. America is too fat, so let’s not reduce the opportunity to go out after work and garden, do sports, go to the park, outdoor chores, etc. Standard time puts the light in the morning when most people are unable to use it to benefit their well-being.
Clock | Nov 10, 2010 | Reply
First of all, the article was clearly written to be humorous, so lighten up. He didn’t even get the name of the issue right. The farming remarks are hilarious, and the complete misunderstanding of why we adjust it partway through the year is bizarre!
You guys know that the earth is tilted on its axis, right, and that Daylight Saving Time eases the severity of the shifting period of daylight throughout the year?
Nathan Flagler | Nov 10, 2010 | Reply
Thanks, Austin. I’ve fixed it.
William Shughart | Nov 11, 2010 | Reply
Mr. “Clock”: I, too, prefer to get up while it’s still dark than get home when it is.
William Shughart | Nov 11, 2010 | Reply
I lived on a farm for five years. We mostly ignored the clock; horses and cattle use the Sun for their clock; if we were to disrupt their schedule by one hour, what would be the point? As for our work as farmers, we used all available sunlight. During haying season, when the days were long, we’d sometimes work until dark – it did not matter whether the clock said “8 pm” or “9 pm,” when there was work to be done.
terrymac | Nov 12, 2010 | Reply
“I say not only get rid of DST, but time zones as well. Put us all on GMT.
I guess it might make the day/date change more interesting. But does it matter if I get to work at 7:00 am CST or 1300 GMT?” – Osborne4
AMEN!!! Really, to all of you who said that they want to drive home when it’s still light out, you can do that now. The sun doesn’t change during DST, the clocks do. The answer is simple, ignore the clock. Agreed, if you work for someone else, you have to go to work when the boss tells you, but that is not dictated by “Standard” or “daylight saving” time, it’s dictated by company policy. I have worked jobs that required me to start at various times depending on the job. Funny, my current job required me to be in at 7:00 because we need to be here when the folks in New Your come into work (9:00), so in a sense, we’re all already on GMT, we just make it more confusing by calling it something diffrent depending on where we live.
joe4liberty | Nov 15, 2010 | Reply