Things to know about daylight saving time

Daylight saving time(DST) is also known as summer time in some countries it is the practice of advancing clocks during summer months so that evening daylight lasts longer, while sacrificing normal sunrise time. Typically regions that uses daylight saving time adjust clocks forward one hour close to the start of spring and adjust them backward in the autumn to standard time.

Most areas of North America, Europe and some areas in the Middle East, while the most area of Asia and Africa don't observe Daylight saving time.

DST clock shifts sometimes complicate timekeeping and can disrupt travel, billing, record keeping, medical devices, heavy equipment, and sleep patterns. Computer software often adjusts clocks automatically, but policy changes by various jurisdictions of DST dates and timings may be confusing.

It is believed that Daylight saving time practice was the idea of Benjamin Franklin in 1978  while serving as the US brand Ambassador to France. In Franklin's calculation Parisians could save more than 96 million lives each year in the cost of candles (about $200 million in today’s dollars) if they simply shifted their clocks back an hour each spring to make better use of the extra daylight.

This year it will happen on 5th of November but in many parts of American people have already shifted their clocks one hour ahead after 31 October. 

It has been in a debate that how useful this practice actually is, Century ago, when DST was introduced, more daylight was a good thing because it meant less use of artificial light, helping to save energy. Modern society, with its computers, TV-screens, and air conditioning units uses more energy, no matter if the Sun is up or not. Today, the amount of energy saved from DST is negligible. 

The only advantage you have now is you get longer evenings and less artificial lights.