Important Facts For Prelims
Daylight Saving Time
- 29 Mar 2023
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Recently, the Lebanon Government has delayed the start of Daylight-Saving Time (DST) by a month. Meanwhile, Greenland has chosen to stay with DST forever.
- Lebanon usually sets its clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday in March. However, its Prime Minister said this year, the clocks would be reset on 21 April, without citing any reason.
What is Daylight Saving Time?
- According to Norway-based Time and Date, DST is the practice of setting the clocks forward one hour from the standard time during the summer and back again in the autumn.
- This is done to make better use of natural daylight. India does not follow daylight saving time as countries near the Equator do not experience high variations in daytime hours between seasons.
What is the Significance of DST?
- Those in favour of DST argue that it means a longer evening daytime. Individuals will complete their daily work routines an hour earlier, and that extra hour of daylight means a lower consumption of energy.
- In April 1916, during World War I, Germany and Austria introduced DST to minimise the use of artificial lighting. It gradually caught on in many countries.
- In the EU, clocks in the 28 member states move forward on the last Sunday in March and fall back on the last Sunday in October.
What are the Disadvantages of DST?
- According to a study in Popular Science magazine in the US, one hour of lost sleep in the US increases the fatal crash rate by 5.4% to 7.6% for six days following the transition.
- Other studies found a higher rate of workplace injuries after the switch, leading to lost days of work; a slight drop in stock market performance; health problems as a result of disruption of the Circadian Rhythm.
