As the weather gets warmer, it is nice to come home from a long day and spend time outdoors and get fresh air while exercising, playing with kids or pets or even grilling your favorite dinner. But, when 6 p.m. hits and there is no sunlight in sight, how do you expect to enjoy these evening activities? Mark your calendars, because on March 10 you’ll get an hour of daylight back in your evening!   

On Sunday, March 10, set your clocks forward by an hour for daylight saving time, if you’re in a participating location. This will make sunrise and sunlight occur an hour later than the day before, which increases the amount of daylight we have during the evening. We change our clocks twice a year (spring forward, fall back), but do you know why?   

According to America’s Navy website, daylight saving time (DST) began in March 1918 when The Standard Time Act was passed. One of the main reasons DST was created was to create a way to save energy and to get more use out of our natural daylight. Since March 1918, there have been many updates and changes to the idea and laws passed.  

The U.S. is one of 70 countries that participate in DST. After the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was established, every state or territory in the U.S. had the choice to opt-in or opt-out of DST. The entire state of Indiana observes DST, but there are 80 counties in the Eastern Time zone and 12 counties in the Central Time zone.  

No matter which time zone you’re in, at 2 a.m. on March 10, time will jump to 3 a.m.; this jump will give us more daylight to enjoy evening activities and help save energy.   

One of our community partners, American Red Cross knows a thing or two about safety. Each year, they encourage everyone to not only “turn your clocks” in March but to also test all smoke alarms throughout your home.  

Smoke alarms can help prevent major accidents. Making sure they are installed correctly and working properly can make a huge difference if a fire does occur. Here is more information that American Red Cross shares about the importance of checking your smoke alarms.   

Daylight saving time isn’t just a time to turn your clocks, it can also be a great time to start or continue healthy habits. These can include going for a walk, running or playing outside in the evenings. Not only is this good for your physical health, but it may also improve your overall mental health, as well.  

Here’s your last reminder for March 10 – don’t forget to change your clocks so you don’t show up an hour late for your Sunday appointments!  

*The information in this article was compiled from a variety of sources and is intended to provide helpful tips only