As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, the transition from daylight saving time to standard time is approaching. This year, Americans will “fall back” on November 2, 2025, at 2 a.m. local time, marking the end of daylight saving time. This change allows everyone, except residents of Hawaii, Arizona, and a few U.S. territories, to adjust their clocks one hour back, effectively giving them an extra hour of sleep that night.
When the clocks revert, time will shift from 1:59 a.m. back to 1 a.m., leading to darker evenings but brighter winter mornings. The practice of changing clocks has a long history; it was originally instituted in the U.S. during World War I to conserve fuel by adding an hour of daylight. Although it saw temporary discontinuation after the war, daylight saving time was reinstated in various forms until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a standardized approach, which was amended in 2005 to expand its duration to the current structure that spans from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Looking ahead, daylight saving time will recommence on March 8, 2026, when most of the country will set their clocks forward an hour at 2 a.m., exchanging one hour of sleep for additional evening daylight.
Despite many Americans appreciating the extended daylight, there is an ongoing debate about the necessity of these time changes. Some lawmakers are advocating for a permanent standard time throughout the year to eliminate the biannual clock adjustments. Hawaii and Arizona remain the notable exceptions, choosing not to observe daylight saving time, a decision mirrored by several U.S. territories.
President Donald Trump has expressed interest in abolishing the time changes, recognizing its mixed reception among the public. While there have been efforts to achieve a legislative consensus on this issue, definitive action remains elusive, leaving the practice of changing the clocks firmly in place for now.
As the fall season settles in, many are encouraged to relish the opportunity for some extra rest when the clocks change, while the discourse about time observance continues to evolve and spark discussion among Americans.