Will Minnesota Become the 8th State to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent?
The majority of people, including myself, thought farmers were behind Daylight Saving Time. That's fake news according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The Almanac says farmers were opposed to the idea of resetting clocks in the spring and the fall. According to their article, DST was pushed by the American government during World War I as a way to conserve coal used for heating homes.
In case you're wondering, clocks will spring ahead an hour in just a few weeks on March 8th. But, we might not have to worry about adjusting to DST for very much longer if one Minnesota lawmaker gets his way.
Minnesota State Representative Mike Freiberg is sponsoring a bill to get rid of the time change and make DST permanent. The bill will most likely be debated by this session, If it passes it would require Governor Walz to sign off on the change.
Many health experts claim the change twice a year is bad for your health. Dr. Beth Ann Malow, director of the Sleep Disorders Division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center told Web MD: "Over time, daylight saving time (DST) eliminates bright morning light that's crucial to synchronizing your biologic clock, possibly putting people at increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other harmful effects of sleep deprivation."
According to USA Today, "Seven states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington – have approved legislation to make daylight saving time permanent. These states still need the OK from the federal government to enact the change, however."