Daylight Saving Time (DST) is used in some countries primarily to make better use of daylight during the longer days of the year. The main idea is to shift an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening, making it feel like there’s more daylight after work or school. Here are the primary reasons why some countries use DST:
- Energy Conservation: By aligning waking hours with daylight hours, it was historically believed that less artificial lighting and heating would be needed, thus saving energy. Although the energy savings are debated today, this was one of the main reasons DST was implemented during both World Wars and after.
- Economic Benefits: Longer daylight hours can encourage people to engage in outdoor activities after work or school, which can boost spending in industries like retail, sports, and tourism.
- Health and Well-being: With more daylight in the evening, people are more likely to engage in outdoor activities, which can be good for physical and mental health.
- Agriculture: Although this was once a commonly cited reason, farmers were not as impacted by DST as the general public thought. However, the idea was that farmers could take advantage of the extra hour of daylight to work longer in the fields.
Despite these reasons, not all countries adopt DST. In fact, many places have abandoned the practice, as the benefits (especially energy savings) have been called into question, and the disruption caused by changing clocks twice a year can be seen as more trouble than it’s worth.