It’s that time of year again where we change our clocks and “fall back.” Yes, we gain an hour, but as the days turn shorter and it gets dark earlier, you may be wondering what’s the purpose of daylight saving time and how it could affect you at your apartment.

History

During War World I, the name of the game was conservation. From resources to materials, everything was to be conserved to fight the war. With the effort to conserve, the concept of conserving time was introduced.

During that time, countries across Europe and the United States wanted to find a way to conserve fuel that was used to produce electric power. Many also viewed daylight saving time as a way to maximize waking hours as these were the days when electricity was not an automatic assumption for every household.

Through the years, the United States struggled to make daylight saving time a mandated law throughout the country. Many states opted out and chose not to follow along. However, in this century, daylight saving time is accepted almost all across the US and most European countries. But how can it affect you today?

Less Daylight

Crimes happen in the day time and at night, this is an absolute fact. However, many violent crimes happen under the cover of the night for obvious reasons like being able to flee the scene without being noticed. As daylight saving time comes to an end this weekend, shorter days mean longer nights. When you’re living in an apartment, this requires you to be more aware of your surroundings and reporting anything unusual as you walk through the parking lot at night or arrive home late.

More Energy Use

At the introduction of daylight saving time, the objective was to conserve energy. However, in modern day, when the days are shorter in the winter and the sun sets by 5 p.m. in the evening, most people are lighting their homes with electricity, using computers, and other gadgets that suck up energy. For some apartment dwellers, this can mean skyrocketing electricity bills every year. So, if you’re shocked by your next electricity bill, here are some ways you can conserve in your apartment.

Shorter Days = Less Productivity

After a long day at work, it can be difficult to come home and find the energy to be productive. As daylight saving time ends, it creates a feeling of shorter days when it’s already dark on your way home from work. This means that after work, you risk coming home to your apartment and feeling like the day is nearly gone the moment you step in the door.

Whether you want to spend that time at home lounging or getting stuff done around your apartment, the shorter days may feel less productive until your body adjusts.

While there are pros and cons to the end of daylight saving time, it’s important to help yourself adjust whether you love the concept or not. To make the transition a little smoother:

• Be safe when leaving work in the evening and arriving back to your apartment when the sun sets early. 
• Try to carry on with life-as-usual as much as possible – your body will adjust within a few days.
• Set a reminder to set your clocks back when the change is approaching to ensure that you stay on track.