We are in the middle of fall, and the end of daylight saving time is approaching. The days are getting shorter, and the nights are growing longer, signaling the coming of winter. According to current regulations, namely the Energy Policy Act of 2025, the United States has, officially, two annual time changes. One occurs on the second Sunday of March, and the other, precisely, is about to happen shortly.
This is the day that marks the end of daylight saving time in 2024 and the start of the new winter schedule
In 2024, daylight saving time will end on Sunday, November 3. Early that morning, at 3 a.m., we will need to set the clocks back to 2 a.m. As a result, we’ll gain an extra hour on the clock. Consequently, we’ll get more sleep, although the sky will darken much earlier in the evenings.
A bit of history on daylight saving time
Let’s look back at some history on this matter. The United States established daylight saving time in 1918 with the passage of the Standard Time Act, which was based on astronomical applications recorded by the Naval Observatory. The time change was thus implemented during World War I to make better use of daylight hours and save electricity.
In the years following that date, legislators tried to repeal daylight saving time nationwide. Additionally, some cities and states decided on their own to abandon daylight saving time. However, in 1966 Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, requiring the adoption of a standardized schedule across the country.
There have been subsequent efforts to make daylight saving time permanent throughout the year in the United States, referring to the Sunshine Protection Act, which the Senate passed in 2022. However, this initiative did not go to a vote in the House of Representatives.
Regions of the United States that do not observe the time change
Within the United States, there are specific regions that do not observe the time change. These include Hawaii and Arizona. Additionally, five U.S. territories do not follow daylight saving time: the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
The impact of the time change on health
It has been shown that the time change affects people’s health. Experts indicate that it disrupts natural biorhythms, impacting children, older adults, and those with certain health conditions. Research has shown that the time change increases heart attacks, sleep disturbances, and even mood disruptions, as reported by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
