You’re groggy. It’s a Sunday morning, the coffee isn't kicking in yet, and you glance at the microwave only to realize it's an hour off from your phone. We’ve all been there. It’s that twice-a-year ritual that feels increasingly like a relic of a bygone era. If you are looking for exactly when they going to change the time, the short answer for 2026 is that Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins on Sunday, March 8 and ends on Sunday, November 1.
We do this. Every year.
Usually, the shift happens at 2:00 AM local time. In the spring, we "spring forward" and lose an hour of sleep—which honestly feels like a personal attack—and in the autumn, we "fall back" to gain an hour. But there is a whole lot more to this than just adjusting your car’s dashboard clock. There’s a massive political battle, some weird health science, and a lot of myths about farmers that just aren't true.
Why the Schedule Stays the Same (For Now)
Since the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the United States has followed a very specific schedule. We start DST on the second Sunday in March. We end it on the first Sunday in November. It wasn't always this way; back in the 70s and 80s, the dates were different, and during World War II, we even had "War Time" which was year-round DST.
Arizona and Hawaii don't play along. They stay on standard time all year. If you've ever tried to schedule a Zoom call with someone in Phoenix during the summer, you know the headache. They are essentially on Pacific Time half the year and Mountain Time the other half. It's a mess.
The logic behind the current March-to-November stretch was originally about energy savings. The idea was that more sunlight in the evening means people leave their lights off longer. However, modern studies, including a famous one from the National Bureau of Economic Research looking at data from Indiana, suggest that any electricity saved on lighting is often canceled out by the increased use of air conditioning during those extra sunny evening hours.
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The Sunshine Protection Act: Is the Change Ending?
You might remember headlines a couple of years ago saying the time change was finally being cancelled. Senator Marco Rubio has been a big champion of the Sunshine Protection Act. This bill basically proposes that we stay on Daylight Saving Time permanently. No more switching.
In 2022, the Senate actually passed it by unanimous consent. People were thrilled. But then it hit a brick wall in the House of Representatives. Why? Because while everyone hates the switch, nobody can agree on which time to keep.
The Permanent DST vs. Permanent Standard Debate
If we stay on permanent Daylight Saving Time, we get those glorious 9:00 PM sunsets in July. But the trade-off is brutal. In the middle of winter, the sun wouldn't rise in places like Seattle or Detroit until nearly 9:00 AM. Imagine sending your kids to the bus stop in pitch-black darkness.
On the flip side, sleep experts—like those at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine—actually argue for permanent Standard Time. They say our biological clocks (circadian rhythms) are better aligned with the sun being directly overhead at noon. They argue that "Springing Forward" causes a spike in heart attacks and traffic accidents every March because our bodies are forced into a state of permanent jet lag.
It’s a stalemate. Politicians want the late sunsets for the economy (people shop more when it’s light out), but health experts want the morning light. So, for the foreseeable future, when they going to change the time remains a twice-yearly question you'll have to keep asking.
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How the Time Change Affects Your Body
It isn't just about being tired. It’s biology.
Your "master clock" is a group of about 20,000 nerve cells in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). It reacts to light. When we artificially shift the clock by an hour, we create a "circadian mismatch."
- Heart Health: Studies have shown a roughly 24% increase in heart attack risk on the Monday following the spring time change.
- Safety: The University of Colorado found that fatal car accidents jump by about 6% during the workweek following the "Spring Forward" shift.
- Mental Health: In the fall, when we lose that evening light, there is a documented uptick in depressive episodes, specifically related to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Basically, our bodies aren't designed to "reset" just because a government mandate says so. It takes about a week for most people to fully synchronize their internal hormones, like cortisol and melatonin, with the new clock time.
Debunking the Farmer Myth
If I hear one more person say we change the clocks "for the farmers," I’m going to lose it. Honestly, farmers have historically been the loudest voices against Daylight Saving Time.
Think about it. Cows don't care what time the clock says; they need to be milked when they are ready. If a farmer has to get their goods to a market that opens at a set time, changing the clocks just means they have to work an hour longer in the dark to stay on the world's schedule. The real push for DST originally came from retailers and the leisure industry. More light after work means more people playing golf, buying gas, and hitting the shops.
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Preparing for the Next Shift
Since we know when they going to change the time, we can actually prep for it so it doesn't ruin the following Monday.
- Shift your bedtime in increments. Don't wait until Saturday night. Starting on Wednesday, go to bed 15 minutes earlier (in the spring) or later (in the fall).
- Seek out morning sun. If you get bright light in your eyes as soon as you wake up on the Sunday of the change, it helps reset your SCN faster.
- Watch the caffeine. It’s tempting to chug espresso to compensate for the lost hour, but that just pushes your sleep debt further into the week.
- Check your safety devices. Use the time change as a trigger to check smoke detector batteries and carbon monoxide sensors. It’s a cliché, but it saves lives.
What to Expect Moving Forward
The debate isn't going away. At the state level, dozens of states have already passed laws or resolutions to stay on permanent DST, but they can't actually implement them without federal approval. Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, states can opt out of DST (like Arizona), but they aren't allowed to stay on DST year-round without Congress changing the law.
Expect to see more "Sunshine Protection" talk every March and November. It's one of the few things that seems to frustrate people regardless of their political leanings. Until the federal government makes a final call, keep those dates marked on your calendar.
Next Steps for Your Schedule:
Check your digital devices on the Saturday evening before the transition to ensure "Set Automatically" is toggled on in your settings. If you have manual clocks—like those in older cars, ovens, or wall-mounted analog pieces—plan to adjust them before you go to bed on Saturday night to avoid any confusion on Sunday morning. For those sensitive to sleep disruptions, begin adjusting your evening meal and light exposure three days prior to the shift to mitigate the impact on your circadian rhythm.