Copyright TODAY
Daylight saving time (DST) comes to an end this weekend when we all “fall back” by setting our clocks back by one hour. On Sunday, Nov. 2, we’ll move our clocks back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. local time, marking a return to standard time. Morning sunrises and evening sunsets will now arrive a little earlier. Fewer hours of sunlight will make the days feel shorter during fall and winter. Every year, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. The practice allows people living in most areas of the United States to maximize the sun’s light during the spring and summer months. “We advance our clocks ahead one hour at the beginning of DST, and move them back one hour (‘spring forward, fall back’) when we return to standard time (ST),” the National Institute of Standards and Technology explains on its website. “The transition from DST to ST effectively moves one hour of daylight from the evening to the morning.” But why did this biannual tradition begin in the first place? Read on to learn more about the history of daylight saving time and where and why we do it. When Does Daylight Saving Time End in 2025? Daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March every year and concludes on the first Sunday of November, according to the NIST. The daylight save time cycle for this year ends on Sunday, Nov. 2, when clocks will “fall back” one hour. What Time Does Daylight Saving Time End? The rules for daylight saving time changed after the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Since then, “DST is now in effect for 238 days, or about 65% of the year, although Congress retained the right to revert to the prior law should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings are not significant,” the NIST explains on its website. On Nov. 2, those who live in areas that follow daylight saving time will adjust their clocks to 1 a.m. when the local time reads 2 a.m., thus giving them an extra hour. Which U.S. States Don’t Observe Daylight Saving Time? The U.S. Department of Transportation explains on its website that the amended Uniform Time Act allows states to exempt themselves from observing daylight saving time. The following states and territories do not observe daylight saving time: Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and most of Arizona. However, the NIST notes that the Navajo Indian Reservation, which is located in parts of Arizona, does follow daylight saving time. “Daylight saving time and time zones are regulated by the U. S. Department of Transportation, not by NIST. However, as an official timekeeper for the United States, NIST observes all rules regarding DST when it distributes time-of-day information to the public,” the NIST website reads. Why Did Daylight Saving Time Start? Daylight saving time, which used to be known as “war time,” first began on March 19, 1918, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. The time change, implemented under the Standard Time Act, “allowed for additional daylight hours to be added into the day to help save energy costs during World War I.” The same law also created five time zones in the U.S. After a year, the law was repealed when WWI ended. But when World War II began, Congress decided in February 1942 that a national daylight saving time was needed to preserve fuel and “promote national security and defense.” Thus, daylight saving time also became known as “war time.” The conclusion of WWII in 1945 led to the law being repealed again. Then in 1966, following decades of confusion, the Uniform Time Act was passed. The act has been amended throughout the years, and in 2005 President George W. Bush extended daylight saving time to its current format: the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November. Best Tips for Dealing With Time Change TODAY.com previously spoke to Candice A. Alfano, Ph.D., director of the University of Houston’s Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston, who shared some tips to best navigate the time change. First, she recommended avoiding a nap the day after the clocks turn back. “If you feel sleepy the day after the change, try to resist taking a nap because this will reduce the amount of sleep pressure present at bedtime and can create longer term sleep problems. If you must nap, keep it to 15 to 20 minutes, ideally in the late morning,” she advised. Alfano also encouraged people to take advantage of the sunshine as much as they can during the day. “Light has potent effects on our internal body clock and will help you feel less tired,” she noted. Another tip: practicing good sleep hygiene. Implementing sleep practices, like limiting screen usage before bed and having a consistent bedtime, helps maintain stress levels.
