Most parts of North America will begin Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m., respective to their time zones.

In the European Union, ‘Summer Time’ begins at 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in March, which this year will be March 29. The change is made at the same absolute time across all time zones respective to Greenwich Mean Time, which also is known as Universal Time.

One reason Daylight Saving Time is still practiced in many areas of the world is to push an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening and make better use of this daylight. There are various origin stories linked to Daylight Saving Time, including one that involves Benjamin Franklin.

Daylight Saving Time also has been touted as a way to save resources during times of war or as a means to helping farmers be more prosperous. However, despite the many proclaimed benefits of Daylight Saving Time, there are many detractors who insist that there are no perceived benefits. Some of these naysayers say switching the clocks twice a year can negatively affect the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Various efforts both domestically and abroad have been instituted to abolish Daylight Saving Time, but as of 2020, it remains on the calendar.

The clocks will not be changed back until Sunday, Nov. 1.