Daylight saving time 2024 is almost over: when the clocks go back

With fall just around the corner and the weather finally cooling down, it's almost time to turn back the clocks and prepare for darker afternoons. Get ready for Cher's “If I Could Turn Back Time,” the unofficial soundtrack to the annual ritual of the end of daylight saving time.

The return of standard time occurs in the fall and involves turning the clocks back one hour – earning it the humorous motto “falling back.”

It can be a confusing experience as people across most of the country move their clocks and try to adjust to a new schedule. Here's what you need to know about the fall time change.

When does summer time end?

In the United States, Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. local time on the first Sunday in November. For 2024 this is November 3rd. Put a reminder on your calendar to change any clocks that don't change automatically. Many people find it helpful to change their clocks right before bed rather than the next morning. As you make calendar updates, plan for Sunday, March 9, to mark the start of Daylight Saving Time in 2025.

Around the world it's a little different – in the UK, daylight saving time ends tomorrow, October 27th, and on the other side of the world, where it's now spring, daylight saving time has already started and the clocks will go forward in one hour on October 6th large parts of Australia. Here's a handy list of countries that observe daylight saving time and when it ends and begins in 2024.

Standard Time vs. Daylight Saving Time

Standardization of time has a long and complicated history in the United States. The growth of railroads in America sparked the creation of time zones in 1883. Daylight saving time was officially established in 1918, but alternated and was applied inconsistently across the country until the Uniform Time Act was implemented in 1966. “Motivated by improvements in transportation, this law prescribes standard time within existing time zones and establishes a permanent system of uniform daylight saving time, including the dates and times for twice-yearly transitions,” the Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in a history of the time zones.

See also: Does daylight saving time help with energy bills?

Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii observe standard time year-round. The rest of the country has to deal with the effects of the semi-annual time change. It's not just your sleeping habits that can suffer. The change to daylight saving time has many effects on your health.

The specific dates for Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time may change each year. Daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. The National Institute of Standards and Technology crunched the numbers and reported that Daylight Saving Time is in effect for 238 days, or about 65% of the year. This may make daylight saving time seem more normal than standard time, but we'll stick with historical terminology.

Will we ever get rid of the time change?

Time changes are controversial. Many people find the change difficult, especially when an hour is lost in the spring with daylight saving time. Here are some ways to help you calm down after an hour of sleep. Proponents of daylight saving time say it saves energy during warmer months and provides longer “usable” daylight hours for outdoor activities. However, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has called for a year-round standard time to best align with human circadian biology.

Politicians have made efforts to end the time change nationally, but nothing has yet been enacted into law and there is debate about whether daylight saving time or standard time would be better. The US Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022 – a bipartisan bill that would make daylight saving time permanent, but that's about it. “This ritual of changing the time twice a year is stupid,” Sen. Marco Rubio, a co-sponsor of the bill, said in 2023. Rubio continues to push the legislation, but there is no sign of progress in 2024.

Dealing with the fall time change

The “fallback” time change is usually considered the good time change because it seems like you are getting an extra hour of sleep. This only works if you can ignore your usual wake-up time and sleep in on Sunday.

Check out these tips to combat tiredness after a time change. Building good sleep habits shouldn't be left to a change in timing. Work on maintaining a healthy sleep schedule throughout the year and the annoying clock changes won't bother you as much. If Congress doesn't get going, we'll be stuck with jumping forward and retreating for the foreseeable future.

When is summer time again?

Already tired of the early darkness? The long nights will soon reach their peak on December 21st, the winter solstice. After that, it will gradually get brighter every afternoon until daylight saving time finally applies again in the USA on March 9, 2025.

Daylight saving time returns in the UK on March 30th and ends in Australia on April 6th.