The end of Daylight Saving Time affects sunsets, sleep, safety
It’s time to change the clocks…again
Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends this weekend across most of Canada, marking the return of those dreaded earlier sunsets.
A swifter end to daylight can produce a whole series of side effects, from disrupting your circadian rhythm to increasing the risk for motor vehicle accidents.
DON’T MISS: What would permanent Daylight Saving Time look like in Canada?
Sunsets occur one hour earlier on the clock
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m. local time on the first Sunday in November, the time at which we set our clocks back one hour.
The disappearance of DST is the bane of those who love some sunshine at the end of a long workday.
Setting our clocks back one hour doesn’t actually change when the sun sets—just the time on the clock that it slips below the horizon.
Some parts of Canada don’t change their clocks
While most of Canada observes the “fall back, spring forward” tradition, some regions decided to fix their clocks in one position year-round.
The following portions of Canada do not observe Daylight Saving Time:
Saskatchewan
Yukon Territory
Portions of British Columbia
Portions of Nunavut
Easternmost part of Quebec
The impact is greater at higher latitudes
Falling back one hour at the beginning of November is rough for sunshine-lovers across Canada. But the effects are exacerbated the farther north you travel, and depending on your location within your own time zone.
Toronto’s sunset on Saturday, Nov. 1, will occur at 6:07 p.m. After the overnight time change, that sunset time slips back to 5:06 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Vancouver will see the sun set at 4:48 p.m. on Sunday, with a painful 4:27 p.m. sunset on the way over in Quebec City.
Falling back has some benefits for early risers. Sunrises also occur an hour earlier after the time change. St. John’s, Quebec City, and Toronto will all enjoy sunrise before 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, followed by a 7:20 a.m. sunrise over in Winnipeg.
But take a look at those northern latitudes. Inuvik in the Northwest Territories will only see about six-and-a-half hours of sun on Sunday, with a sunrise at 10:15 a.m. and a sunset at 4:59 p.m.
Time change has health and safety drawbacks
Our lives are so dependent on time that shifting our clocks can have real effects on our bodies for several days after the change.
The most noticeable change is a disruption in our circadian rhythms, commonly known as our ‘internal clock.’ This disruption can make it seem later than it really is, harming sleep cycles until our bodies can readjust.
Less light at the end of the day can also increase the risk of Vitamin D deficiency. The human body produces Vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight. Getting home from work after dark reduces opportunities to benefit from direct sunshine in our busy schedules.
Officials also note a pronounced uptick in accidents and injuries immediately following the time change. Commuters who’ve spent half the year driving, walking, and cycling home in daylight are suddenly forced to navigate roads in darkness. Wildlife collisions also increase around this time of year.