Autumn is officially upon us and with each falling leaf, Father Time reminds us it’s nearly time to “fall back” to Standard Time and put Daylight Saving Time to rest for the year.
In 2025, clocks will “fall back” one hour at 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 2 — a day earlier than in 2024.
The reason for the early end isn’t because of any policy shift, but instead, simply because of how the calendar aligns.
Under U.S. federal law, DST begins the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November every year.
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In 2025, the first Sunday falls on Nov. 2, and is one of the earliest dates for the time change to possibly happen. Next year, 2026, DST will come even earlier — Nov. 1 — which is the absolute earliest DST can end.
While summer has come and gone, the shift back to Standard Time, sometimes called “winter time,” is another mark of the seasonal transition.
The reason behind the clock shifts to and from DST is to make better use of natural daylight, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
On Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 a.m., clocks across the U.S. will move back one hour to 1 a.m., bringing earlier sunrises and sunsets.
And while the morning light Standard Time welcomes may be pleasant for early risers, but it also brings longer, darker evenings — something many people increasingly object to.
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A 2025 Gallup poll found that 54% of Americans would prefer to do away with the time change altogether — plummeting in support compared to the 1990s.
In fact, only 19% of respondents said they still favored switching back and forth between DST and ST each year, while a growing share of participants want to see one system made permanent.
“Even though DST allows for sunnier evenings over the spring and summer, it comes at the cost of setting clocks ahead every March,” Gallup reports.
“And yet, keeping DST would mean later sunrises, particularly in winter months.”
The debate has reached the halls of Congress.
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In 2021, the Sunshine Protection Act, which proposed making daylight saving time permanent nationwide, passed the Senate but stalled in the House.
More recently, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has renewed calls to end the “head-spinning ritual” of time changes, citing their impact on health, safety, and the economy.
But until legislation is passed — at the federal or state level — participants will continue adjusting their clocks twice a year.
The good news?
Many modern devices will update automatically.
However, the same cannot be said for analog clocks and appliances — so it may be wise to set them back one hour before bed on Saturday night.
For those missing longer, warmer evenings already, you can mark your calendars for Sunday, March 8 — when DST returns in 2026.