The Two Sides of Daylight Saving Time
一小時的奇妙變化 帶你認識「夏令時間」
Have you ever wished for an extra hour to prepare for exams or finish homework? In some countries, people actually adjust their clocks to gain or lose an hour, all for the sake of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Specifically, clocks are set forward by an hour in March and then set back in November. One of the primary reasons for implementing DST is to make better use of natural daylight so that people can reduce energy consumption. The concept originated with Benjamin Franklin in 1784 and became widely adopted during World War I. Today, this system is in place in about 110 countries, particularly those near the polar circles. In countries closer to the equator, DST is less useful due to consistent day and night duration.
DST offers several advantages beyond energy conservation. For example, the extended daylight allows for evening outdoor activities during the summer, enhancing physical and mental health. Research demonstrates that more daylight encourages people to shop and dine after work, activities often limited by early darkness, thus giving the economy a boost.
However, not everyone is a fan. Critics argue that the energy savings are minimal because people end up using more air conditioning on those extended hot days. What’s more, the time change can disrupt our sleep, leading to health problems like heart issues. It may also make roads less safe, as sleepy drivers are prone to accidents.
So, is messing with the clock twice a year worth it? The debate continues, but think about this: perhaps losing an hour of sleep is worth the mood boost from extra daylight, especially to bid farewell to the winter blues.
你是否曾經夢想過多出一小時來為考試做好準備或完成作業？在某些國家，人們確實會調整他們的時鐘來增加或減少一小時，這一切都是為了夏令時間（
DST）。具體而言，時鐘在三月份會被向前調整一小時，然後在十一月份再向後調整。實行DST的主要原因之一是更好地利用自然光，讓人們能夠減少能源消耗。這個概念最早由班傑明富蘭克林於西元1784年提出，並在第一次世界大戰期間被廣泛採用。如今，這個制度在約110個國家實行，特別是那些靠近極圈的國家。在靠近赤道的國家，因為白天和黑夜的時間長度一致， DST 的效益較低。
DST除了節約能源外，還提供了幾項優點。例如，延長的日光時間允許人們在夏季傍晚進行戶外活動，提升了身體和心理健康。研究顯示，更多的日光鼓勵人們在工作後購物和用餐，這些活動通常受到天黑得早的限制，因此促進了經濟的增長。
然而，並不是每個人都喜歡夏令時間。批評者認為能源節約非常有限，因為人們最終在那些延長的炎熱日子裡使用更多的冷氣。此外，時間的變更可能干擾我們的睡眠，導致健康問題，如心臟疾病。它還可能使道路變得不
太安全，因為昏昏欲睡的司機容易發生事故。那麼，每年兩次播亂時鐘是否值得呢？這場辯論仍在持續，但不妨思考這一點：為了額外的日光所帶來的心情提升，也許失去一小時的睡眠是值得的，特別是為了告別冬季的陰霾。