Most parts of North America will begin Daylight Saving Time at 2 a.m. Sunday, including Turlock.

Benjamin Franklin is credited with the concept of Daylight Saving Time. The basic idea is to make the best use of daylight hours by shifting the clock forward in the Spring and backward in the Fall.

Daylight Saving Time has been in use throughout much of the United States, Canada and Europe since World War I. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed an act into law whereby Daylight Saving Time begins on the last Sunday of April and ends on the last Sunday of October each year. However, any state can opt out of Daylight Saving Time by passing a State law.

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 Nov. 1.