Most Americans got a bonus hour of sleep this weekend. Daylight saving time ended at 2 a.m. local time today, Nov. 1, and clocks across the country rolled back to 1 a.m.
The timing worked out well for anyone coming off a long Halloween night. The holiday landed on Saturday, so partygoers got an extra hour to keep the costumes on or an extra hour to sleep it off. Parents of little ones may see it differently, since a shifted clock can throw a child’s bedtime routine off for days.
Smartphones and other connected devices should have updated on their own. The microwave, the stove and the car dashboard are another story. Those still need a human touch.
Why the switch came so early this year
If it feels like the clocks fell back ahead of schedule, there is a reason. Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November, and Nov. 1 is the earliest possible date for the switch. This year hit the calendar’s floor.
The tradeoff shows up fast. Mornings get brighter sooner, but darkness rolls in well before dinner. In Boston, Sunday’s sunset came about an hour earlier than Saturday’s, landing before 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Clocks will spring forward again today, March 14, 2027.
How daylight saving time got here
The U.S. first adopted the clock change in 1918 during World War I as a way to conserve fuel, following Europe’s lead. Congress repealed it after the war but let states keep it if they wanted. Year-round daylight saving time returned during World War II and again during the 1970s energy crisis. Neither run lasted, and the 1970s version ended before reaching 10 months.
Congress did not set uniform start and end dates until 1966. The current schedule, which runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, took effect in 2007.
Not every part of the country plays along. Hawaii and most of Arizona skip the change, although the Navajo Nation observes it to stay aligned with its communities in New Mexico and Utah. Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands also keep their clocks steady.
The Senate standoff over permanent daylight saving time
Congress is debating whether to end the twice-a-year switch for good. The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July by a bipartisan 308-117 vote. The bill would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide while letting states opt out before it takes effect.
The measure has stalled in the Senate. President Donald Trump supports the bill and blamed Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, a fellow Republican, for holding it up. Trump went as far as posting what he said was Cotton’s cellphone number on social media and urging supporters to call him. Cotton countered that the country already tried permanent daylight saving time and reversed course once Americans experienced extremely late winter sunrises. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said the bill does not have a clear path forward.
Supporters want to end the disruptive clock switching and keep brighter evenings all year. Many health experts oppose the plan, and data suggests permanent daylight saving time could leave students commuting to school in the dark during winter.
Time is running short for the bill. It expires in early January when the new Congress elected in Tuesday’s midterms takes office. If it dies, lawmakers will have to start over in both chambers.
Until then, enjoy the extra hour. The dark evenings are here to stay through winter.
