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Clocks go back: daylight saving time ends today in the US

Most Americans gain an hour of sleep as clocks fall back at 2am, bringing earlier sunsets. Here is what changes, who is exempt, and why the debate over ending the switch continues.

By Newsheir Staff, Newsroom

· 2 min read

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In this article
  1. What changes
  2. Who doesn't change
  3. What it does to your body
  4. Will the switch ever end?

Daylight saving time ended in most of the United States at 2am local time on Sunday, November 1. Clocks went back one hour to 1am, giving most Americans an extra hour and returning the country to standard time.

Smartphones and computers update automatically, but many car clocks, ovens and older devices need to be changed by hand.

What changes

The hour between 1am and 2am happened twice overnight, so Sunday is 25 hours long by the clock. From now on, sunrise and sunset come about an hour earlier than they did on Saturday. Mornings get lighter, but evenings get dark noticeably sooner, often before the end of the working day in northern states.

Daylight saving time returns on Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks spring forward again.

Who doesn't change

Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time and stay on standard time all year. The Navajo Nation, which extends into Arizona, does observe it. US territories including Puerto Rico and Guam also do not change their clocks.

Europe changed a week earlier, on October 25, so for the past week the time difference between the US and Europe was an hour shorter than usual. That gap returns to normal today.

What it does to your body

Gaining an hour is generally easier on the body than losing one in spring, but the change can still disrupt sleep for a few days, particularly for young children, pets and people with fixed routines.

The body's internal clock is set mainly by light. Sleep scientists suggest getting daylight early in the morning in the days after the change, keeping regular meal and bed times, and limiting bright screens late at night. Darker evenings can also affect mood for some people, and the risk of road accidents involving pedestrians tends to rise in the weeks after the change, as more people travel home in the dark.

Will the switch ever end?

Many Americans say they want to stop changing the clocks, but there is no agreement on which time to keep. A bill to make daylight saving time permanent, the Sunshine Protection Act, passed the US Senate in 2022 but did not become law, and similar bills have been introduced since.

Sleep medicine groups, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, argue that permanent standard time is healthier, because it better matches the body's clock to the sun. Unless Congress acts, the twice-yearly change will continue.

Sources and references

  1. 1.When daylight saving time ends in 2026: Date clocks 'fall back' one hour — Fox 5 New York
  2. 2.Daylight saving time ends — The Old Farmer's Almanac
  3. 3.Daylight Saving Time 2026: When Do Clocks Fall Back—and Could Congress Cancel It? — Farmers' Almanac

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