Why This Year Might Be the Last for Time Changes in Texas
This Sunday is the day when we all "fall back" an hour thanks to Daylight Saving Time. We'll all adjust the time on our appliances, in our vehicles, and on those clocks we bought just because they look cool...not because we need them for telling time. It's a twice-a-year tradition that could be going away in the Lone Star State. Set those clocks this Saturday before you go to bed. Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 AM on Sunday, November 3.
The Anti Daylight Saving Time Movement In Texas
It might have slipped your mind, but last year we came close to doing away with Daylight Saving Time in Texas. In April, a bill passed our state House of Representatives. That's a third of the way to becoming law.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you feel about it, the bill never came to a vote in the Senate and was left to die. The Texas House bill would have left us on Daylight Saving Time, and none of us would forget to set the time on our stovetop ever again.
If the bill got enough support in the House to pass a vote in 2023, it would make sense for lawmakers who are eager for an end to Daylight Saving Time to try again. All they would need to do is get support in the Senate, and then get the governor's autograph on it for it to become law. Stranger things have happened. We've legalized noodling (hand fishing) in Texas, and we made open carry for swords a thing.
What Is So Good Or Bad About Daylight Saving Time
It seems ridiculous, but Daylight Saving Time is a hotly debated issue. For most of us, it just seems like a silly time that screws with our sleep schedule or makes us late for church. In reality, it affects a lot more than you'd think.
The good things about Daylight Saving Time are:
- It's safer - The extra light in the evening hours helps deter crimes. It makes sense. Most people don't want to commit crimes in broad daylight. Drivers have better visibility with the extra daylight hours.
- It's good for the economy - If you own a business, you've got to love Daylight Saving Time. Several studies show that people spend more money with more daylight. It affects everything from outdoor activities to the BBQ industry, which Texas absolutely loves.
- It gets you outdoors - It makes sense. With more daylight, you have more time to enjoy outdoor activities, which means people are more active and that's healthy. Most of us don't like being out after dark thanks to things mentioned in the first bullet point.
There are also some bad things about Daylight Saving Time like:
- It's bad for your health - Changing sleep patterns can cause health problems, and some studies say that you're 10% more likely to have a heart attack on the Monday and Tuesday after the time change. Headaches are another problem, and Daylight Saving Time can also increase the likelihood of workplace or auto accidents.
- Productivity drops - Studies show that most of us are exhausted in the week following the time change. The Monday after the springtime change is actually called "Sleepy Monday" because we're all so tired from the change. Some studies claim that a lot of people spend a lot more time aimlessly looking at the internet at work after the change because they're too exhausted to stay productive.
- It costs more than you think - In one study it was found that changing the clock resulted in a $1.7 billion in lost opportunity cost. What that means is that you could have been doing something else and making your boss some money. Instead, you were changing the clock.
You can find out more here.
Is it time that Texas finally pulls the plug on changing our clocks twice a year? We'll have to wait and see what happens in the next legislative session.
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Gallery Credit: Renee Raven