As the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) approaches, clocks across most of the United States will be set back by one hour on November 2. This annual shift, which results in earlier sunsets and longer evenings, continues to prompt debate about its impact.
Two professors from Georgia Gwinnett College offered their perspectives on the effects of DST. Dr. Jason Delaney, a professor of economics at the School of Business, explained the historical background: “Originally, the idea was to save energy, though it’s often mistakenly linked to helping farmers,” said Delaney. “Years ago, the vast majority of the workforce was in agriculture, lighting and heat were much less efficient and air conditioning was non-existent. None of that is the case today. As an economist, you look at the states that don’t change clocks and see that the impact, one way or another, is minimal. The relevance of that additional hour is harder to justify.”
Delaney also pointed out that while DST is currently mandated by federal law through the Uniform Time Act of 1966, its roots are tied more closely to transportation than agriculture. “The railroads needed to formalize and normalize time because trains made it possible to move quickly across the country — whether transporting people or goods,” he explained. “That created problems with coordinating departures and arrivals.”
The move toward standardized time began in 1883 when four U.S. time zones were created for more consistent train scheduling. In 1918, responsibility for time coordination shifted to the Interstate Commerce Commission with five zones officially adopted: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, and Alaska. Oversight later passed to the Department of Transportation after Congress established it in 1966.
Currently, DST is observed throughout most of the country except in Hawaii, most parts of Arizona, and several U.S. territories including Puerto Rico and Guam.
Delaney noted there can be short-term productivity losses as people adjust their schedules following a time change: “When you change schedules, there will be a loss in productivity because your body is adjusting to a time change,” he said.
Dr. David Ludden, professor of psychology at GGC’s School of Liberal Arts, highlighted how this disruption can affect people biologically: “When you shorten or lengthen a day, it disrupts the time your body thinks it’s time to sleep,” Ludden said.
“We aren’t built to change times quickly. Our bodies rely on external environmental cues — like the brightness of the sun in the morning and the dimming light in the evening — to regulate sleep cycles.”
Ludden suggested ways to make the adjustment easier: “When you’re traveling across time zones, set your phone to the destination time,” he advised. “And when you arrive, try to get outside into natural light — that helps reset your body clock. If that’s not possible, use brighter lights indoors during the day and dimmer lights in the evening to help your body adjust.”
