What Does "Spring Forward, Fall Back" Mean?


Some memory devices can cause more confusion than help. Every year when Daylight saving time comes or goes, it's easy to forget which way to turn the clock. So what does 'spring forward, fall back' mean, and how will that affect your sleep schedule?

First, the "spring forward" refers to the practice of moving clocks forward one hour in the springtime, as noted by NPR. On the flip side, you "fall back" an hour in the fall when daylight saving time ends for the year, as explained by Time and Date. If this is still confusing, then you can be thankful for the prevalence of clocks that auto-reset.

If you're in a part of the world that has daylight saving time, then there are some ways to make the twice-yearly moves less troublesome. According to the Cleveland Clinic, avoiding naps, making gradual schedule shifts, and creating a nighttime ritual may help make the transition less troublesome. If you really dread this time of year, then easing into the new times may make it less disruptive to your schedule.


And if you're really against daylight savings time, then you can consider moving to an area that does not recognize it. Actually, not every place in the United States even uses this practice. According to National Geographic, most of Arizona, as well as Hawaii, don't use daylight savings time. It's weird, but every state has the choice to use or ignore DST. (Shouldn't timekeeping be . . . more universal than that?)

Lastly, if the whole DST thing annoys you to no end, you aren't alone. For instance, StandardTime.com advocates for the end of daylight saving time, and it even has a petition to end day light saving time for good. For some people it's a minor annoyance, but if you have to make sleepy kids hustle in the morning, or adapt to the lack of sunlight in the winter, it can be unnerving. However, as it stands DST is the norm in much of the US at least, so you will need to spring forward and fall back for as long as it's the standard.