Springing forward: daylight savings in the Soda City Market

Every Saturday morning, Raw Essence owner M. Antwane Sheppard sets up her body care shop at Soda City Market in Columbia, SC. She arrives at around 6 a.m. to get started for the day. When it’s light in the mornings during winter, she can prepare worry-free. When the clocks turn back for daylight savings time (DST), it’s not quite the same.

“Usually I leave my house at six o’clock when it’s really dark outside. When I get here, I’m usually here by myself, so that’s a little bit of a concern. When it’s a little bit lighter outside, usually somebody else is here because it’s light. Safety is my concern,” Sheppard said.

This Sunday, most of the United States will observe DST. This practice, first established to conserve energy during World War I, involves moving clocks one hour forward during the summer months, and shifting back to standard time during the winter. The practice is observed in 48 U.S. states, with only Hawaii and Arizona abstaining. It is moderately common around the world, with 70 countries currently using DST. Recently, there has been a nationwide movement to stop turning back the clock. Since 2018, over 30 states have considered or passed legislation related to the time change. 

Right now, states do not have the right to change their stance on DST due to the Uniform Time Act of 1966. The act allows states to completely opt out of DST and stay on standard/winter time year round  – like Arizona and Hawaii – or to opt in. As of right now, the only way for states to switch to an adapted system is through a change in federal law. The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by then-Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, would hold the entire country in the “spring forward” stage, with an extra hour of sunlight each day. It is currently under discussion in the United States House.

History of daylight savings time legislation in the states

How does DST affect us?

A major effect of DST is on sleep. Research shows it can be hard to fall asleep when the days are so long, and can lead to insomnia. A 2023 study by Stellar Sleep found that the shift causes a 13% increase in moderate insomnia. There are also 6% higher rates of fatal car crashes on the day after DST is implemented. Gina Konn owns American Glory Handbags, and often has struggles with sleep after DST takes effect.

“Sleep wise, it takes about a week to get used to falling back and springing forward. Do we need it anymore?” Konn said.

These sleep issues hit kids the hardest, who often struggle to adapt to the time change. Jesse Natush is the owner of Artisan Tees and is also a mother.

“As parents, it’s really hard to adjust your kids’ sleeping schedules and especially babies,” Natush said.

However, DST does provide extra daylight. The extra hour of light each day can allow more time for outdoor activities during the summer. 

“When I was a kid in Oregon, in the summertime it would get dark at 10 p.m. When I was on my horse my mom said, ‘come home when it gets dark.’ So I was out on my horse until 10 o’clock. It was wonderful. I get it, people are for and against it, but I don’t know if it’s needed anymore,” Konn said.

SUN IN THE CITY: A video shows Soda City Market vendors and their thoughts on daylight savings time. Video and editing by Aislynn Chau and Lilly Cohen.

The extra time in the evening comes at the cost of light in the morning. For the vendors at Soda City Market, that can be difficult. Bobby and Paula Blue, who run Dream in Blue Art, are not fans of the dark mornings when DST is in effect.

“It’s hard to get up and it’s definitely hard to get down here when it’s still dark out,” Bobby Blue said.

The additional sunlight can also help improve mental health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, around 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder, also known as seasonal depression. The extra hours of light can help to alleviate the disorder.

“I get seasonal affective disorder in the winter with the lack of sunlight. The fact that there’s more sunlight later in the day means I can go out and enjoy it more,” Natush said.

While the issue is certainly one of great debate, it’s questionable as to whether it is pressing enough to be addressed by the government. The federal government is in a period of major change as the Trump administration takes office, and there are many other pieces of important legislation to discuss.

“I think there’s more pressing issues that our government could get involved in,” Natush said. “This made me think of our electoral college and how outdated that is. We could have systems in place where we could elect whoever was popularly voted for, rather than using the Electoral College to elect when it usually is not representative. I feel like we could focus on that rather than the time changes.”

WAKING WORRIES: A slideshow includes vendors of Soda City Market and their thoughts on Daylight Savings Time. Photos and graphics by Aislynn Chau.

Some think it’s an important issue, but don’t believe congress will focus on it.

“I think it’s worth the time (of passing legislation), but I don’t think that’s going to mean anything to Congress,” Paula Blue said.

Finally, some say it can be confusing, and think the process of manually changing clocks is frustrating. The costs of low productivity due to DST are estimated at $434 million per year according to the Oxford Political Review. Overall, daylight savings time has many benefits and drawbacks, and will likely be a subject of debate for years to come.

“I understand why the shift is necessary. However, I feel like they should get rid of daylight savings time to keep it consistent,” Sheppard said.