Friday marks New York City’s final 6 p.m. sunset of the year, signaling the imminent arrival of daylight saving time with its abbreviated days and extended nights. This transition has been gradual throughout the month, with sunsets occurring progressively earlier and sunrises later.
On November 3rd, we will bid farewell to daylight saving time and revert to standard time. Daylight saving time commenced on March 10th, and despite congressional efforts to make it permanent, no legislation has been enacted, necessitating the annual clock adjustment.
Under federal law, daylight saving time spans from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November across most of the United States. This year, the transition back to standard time occurs on November 3rd at 2 a.m.
Daylight saving time will recommence on March 9th, 2025.
Daylight saving time involves adjusting clocks forward in the spring (“spring forward”) and backward in the fall (“fall back”). The Energy Policy Act of 2005 dictates that daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and concludes on the first Sunday in November. Clocks are shifted by one hour in either direction. However, this practice has evolved over time.
Previously, clocks were advanced on the first Sunday in April and reverted on the last Sunday in October. This change was implemented partly to allow children to trick-or-treat in daylight. Daylight saving time currently lasts for 34 weeks, from early to mid-March until early November, in participating states.
While Benjamin Franklin satirically suggested conserving candles by rising and retiring early, Germany was the first to adopt daylight saving time in 1916 during World War I to conserve fuel. The United States followed suit in 1918 but repealed it after the war. It wasn’t until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 that standardized time zones and daylight saving time became nationally mandated.
Nearly all U.S. states observe daylight saving time, except for Arizona and Hawaii. U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, also do not participate.
Standard time is the local time observed when daylight saving time is not in effect. Globally, over 60% of countries adhere to standard time year-round, while the remainder implement daylight saving time during summer months. Standard time is considered to be more aligned with the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advocates for a permanent shift to standard time, citing evidence of negative health consequences associated with seasonal time changes. They believe that permanent standard time best aligns with human biology and promotes public health.
Conversely, the Department of Transportation contends that daylight saving time offers several benefits, including energy conservation, reduced traffic accidents and fatalities, and decreased crime rates due to extended daylight hours. They argue that later sunsets reduce electricity consumption, increased daylight hours improve traffic safety, and extended daylight deters criminal activity.
