Daylight Saving Time Ends Across the United States

Millions of Americans gained an extra hour of sleep this weekend as the twice-a-year time change known as daylight saving time officially ended for the year. Most of the United States fell back an hour when clocks were turned back at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday.

The end of daylight saving time means standard time has returned, shifting daylight from the evening hours to the morning. For example, in Boston, sunrise shifted from 7:16 a.m. to 6:17 a.m., while sunset moved from 5:39 p.m. to 4:37 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Similar shifts occurred across the country, leading to earlier sunsets and darker evenings.

Daylight saving time is observed in every state except for Hawaii and most of Arizona, alongside several U.S. territories including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe the time change to remain aligned with neighboring communities in New Mexico and Utah.

The history of the practice in the United States dates back to 1918 during World War I, when Congress adopted daylight saving time as a fuel-conservation measure. Following years of fluctuating policies and localized adoption, Congress established a uniform start and end schedule in 1966, with subsequent modifications in 1986 and 2007 extending its duration.

Efforts to alter the current system continue to face debate in Washington. Earlier this year, the Sunshine Protection Act cleared the House to establish permanent daylight saving time nationwide, though the legislation has faced stalling in the Senate. President Donald Trump has expressed support for making daylight saving time permanent, stating that the public prefers lighter evenings and an end to changing clocks.

Conversely, sleep experts and medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, advocate for permanent standard time instead. Experts argue that standard time aligns more closely with natural human circadian rhythms and provides essential morning light for regulating sleep and wakefulness.

For those wondering about upcoming schedule adjustments, daylight saving time is scheduled to begin again next year on Sunday, March 14, at 2 a.m. local time. Meanwhile, electronic devices such as smartphones generally update automatically overnight, provided their settings are configured for automatic updates.