Last Sunday marked the end of daylight saving time (DST), and after a tiring weekend I have to admit that I couldn't have been happier to gain an extra hour of sleep. Sure, my body clock was a little off and Sunday seemed like an abnormally long day, but my body was still thanking me for finally being well-rested. But since the time change I noticed a lot of buzz about the controversy surrounding DST. The more I heard about it, the more curious I became. In the past I've never really questioned why DST exists, and what it actually does for us. Now that I've done some digging, the real question that remains is does daylight savings really save anything?

My previous idea of DST (and I'm sure many people are on the same page) was that we set the clocks ahead in the spring to allow for more hours of light, and therefore less use of electricity and heat. It makes sense -- with the sun acting as a natural heater and providing light, who needs light bulbs and thermostats? For an Earth-friendly student like me, DST seems like an extra boost for my green agenda.

But the more I researched, the more I found that DST might not be an answer to our prayers after all. It turns out that this novel idea may actually be having the opposite effect.

Think about it, when you've woken up for work over the past few days it's been eerily darker outside. The result? You turn more lights on in your house than you have in previous months, therefore consuming more energy. And the lack of sunlight also accounts for the frigid temperatures, which cause many people to idle their engines and let their cars heat up before they get into them. All bad things for Mother Nature.

But falling back in October isn't the only downside to DST; springing forward can lead to just as much damage. While we all appreciate having an extra hour of daylight to brighten our mood, our joy can be hurting the environment. It's proven that when there are more hours of light, we're more active. That means that people are more likely to drive their cars, which use gasoline and emit dangerous greenhouse gases. And while less light means cooler temperatures, more light leads people to crank up the AC.

And surprisingly, DST affects our agriculture. Farmers across the country rely on the rising and setting sun as part of their daily routine, but with changes such as the ones that occur during DST, their entire day's work can be thrown off. And as was noted in one study, it can take weeks for farm animals to adjust to changes in feeding schedule, leaving farmers very frustrated.

So while the average person may simply rejoice in gaining an extra hour of sleep in October, or curse when wake-up comes an hour earlier in March, it turns out that there is much more behind DST. Like many issues, it's not as clear-cut as it may initially seem. I've done some digging; now it's your turn. Do you think daylight saving is actually saving us?

Click here for more information on daylight saving, including quirky stories such as how twin babies born on a daylight saving day can have two different birthdays.