Starting this weekend, we’ll be having one hour less of sleep, but plenty more time to spend with our families after work. On Sunday morning,  2 a.m. became 3 a.m. as part of the Daylight Saving Time routine, which won’t change again until November 2.

 

The Daylight Saving Time routine takes place all over the globe, but not at the same time. The Unites States for example extended its period of ‘summer time’ with four more weeks compared to Europe, all for energy purposes.

 

In 2005, President Bush signed an energy bill meant to respond to energy problems across the United States. According to the new law, the time change begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November.

 

As of 2007, the Unites States took on the 2005 bill and extended the ‘summer time’ until after Halloween, with no direct link to energy savings of course, but due to the Halloween Safety Act, with the purpose allowing children to trick-or-treat on daylight.

 

Not all countries adopted DST at the same time, but they started doing it as soon as they realized the advantages it brings, from energy savings (which some don’t agree with), to public safety and even heath benefits, as an extra-hour of light provides extra sun-light for outdoor exercise.

 

Most of the US moved to Daylight Saving Time at 2 a.m. Sunday. Exceptions were Arizona, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa, as they do not observe the shift in time.