Remember to turn your clocks forward for Daylight Savings Time this evening, March 8th, a 2 am to be precise. Or, at least, since most of us keep time using digital devices, which automatically adjust, one should psychologically prepare for one hour less sleep.
One would hope that this measure would have ended a long time, originally adopted during the First World War to conserve energy, extending daylight hours in spring into the evening, so people would use less fuel and electricity, needed for the war effort.
Such needs, if they ever were beneficial, have long since ceased to be of concern, as people’s schedules are all over the map, or day, or night. And the detriment to health, convenience, and other aspects of life is well documented. British Columbia is ditching DST this year, and I was surprised to read that Ontario has also tried, but is waiting – yes – for Quebec (and New York) to get on board, so that we’re not out of synch with our neighbours:
Ontario passed Bill 214 in 2020 to eliminate seasonal time changes, but the change is on hold until Quebec and New York State also agree to adopt permanent daylight saving time.
In the meantime, we adapt to inertia of law, and the inertia of our own bodies striving to get out of bed one hour early on a cold late winter morning. After all, it’s Lent.
