It’s that time of year again, when most of the country will add an hour to the weekend by turning their clocks back. This simple action marks the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST), which began on March 8, 2026. The time change will help shift more sunlight back into the morning and make it a little easier to wake up for school or work during the shorter winter days ahead. DST was first introduced during World War I. In 1916, the German Empire moved clocks forward by one hour to reduce the need for artificial lighting and save fuel for the war effort. The U.S. and Britain soon followed. After the war, all the countries reverted to Standard Time, only to reinstate DST during World War II. When the war ended in 1945, U.S. officials cancelled DST nationwide, but allowed states to continue the practice. They could even set their own start and stop dates. This resulted in a confusing patchwork of different schedules. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 ended the confusion by setting the same "spring forward" and "fall back" dates for the entire country, but the law wasn't mandatory. As a result, Hawaii, most of Arizona, along with several U.S. territories, chose not to adopt the time change. Over the years, several states have passed laws to stay on DST year-round. However, those laws can't take effect unless federal law changes. So, for now, unless you live in a state that doesn't observe DST, you have no choice but to enjoy the bonus hour starting November 1.
