SQL databases provide functions to reduce complexity when working with dates and times, allowing users to extract, convert, and format date-time values efficiently. The available functions vary depending on the SQL distribution used, such as MySQL or SQL Server. For example, in MySQL, the NOW() function returns the current date and time in a specific format, while in SQL Server, the GETDATE() function achieves the same result. These functions can be used to query data from a specific date, add or subtract from a specific time value to find data related to a date and time before or after a specific time, and convert the date-time format. Practical examples demonstrate how to use these functions in MySQL and MS SQL Server to retrieve current dates and times, such as getting all records from today or fetching stories posted at the current hour. Additionally, the concept of time series databases is introduced, which are designed for storing data collected over time and provide a more efficient way to query specific points in time.