March is almost here and that means it’s time to spring forward.
In a little over a week, it will be time for Daylight Saving Time where time will move forward ahead of the summer season. This also means warmer temperatures and longer days for Tennesseans, which will be a much welcomed reprieve from the winter storm laden January and February months.
And while we have that small reprieve, there is also a big downside. Americans dreadfully lose an hour of sleep as time shifts ahead by one hour in March.
Here’s when the time change occurs and just why we have it.
When do we spring forward for daylight saving time?
We will start seeing more daylight a couple of weeks ahead of the first day of spring.
Daylight saving time is the time of year when we either “spring forward or fall back,” depending on what season we are in. On Sunday, March 9, states that participate in the clock change will jump ahead one hour from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Why do we have daylight saving time?
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, daylight saving time— not “savings” as many of us are guilty of saying— began as a way to use natural daylight more efficiently. This means more daylight in the summer evenings and more in the winter mornings.
You may have heard that daylight saving time was created to assist farmers by extending daylight hours and therefore optimizing work hours. This is actually a common myth. The Farmer’s Almanac points out that the practice even inhibits farmers who work with animals since livestock only know internal clocks based on sunrise and sunset.
In reality, the practice of daylight saving was signed into law in 1918 as a fuel-saving measure during World War I. This law only lasted a few months before it was repealed in 1919.
During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a law establishing year-round daylight saving time. Since that law in 1942, there have been several amendments and additional laws creating the daylight saving time practices we adhere to today.
Do all states observe daylight saving time?
Over the years, 19 states have tried to do away with daylight saving time, but there are only two states in the U.S. that don’t observe the practice. Hawaii and Arizona do not observe daylight saving time.
Five other U.S. territories do not participate, either:
Has Trump passed legislation on daylight saving time?
While President Donald Trump and others in his administration have stated they want to get rid of the practice, Trump has yet to pass any executive orders to permanently end daylight saving time.
When is the first day of spring 2025?
Even though we will see longer days starting soon, it doesn’t mean that it’s spring just yet. The first day of spring is Thursday, March 20, starting at 5:01 a.m. ET/4:01 a.m. CT, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: When is daylight saving time 2025? Here’s when we spring forward
Read the full article here