Confused About Daylight Saving Time? Here's When Clocks "Fall Back" This Year
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Despite confusion over a new proposed federal bill, a majority of Americans will set their clocks back by one hour to conclude daylight saving time (DST) this fall.
The "fall back" will take place on Sunday, November 6, which requires that all clocks be set back by one hour.
Daylight saving time is set to kick off again in March, but the future of the bi-annual time shift lies in the hands of those in Congress and President Biden.
Now that we're well into fall, many are looking ahead to plunging temperatures and shifting landscapes — including earlier nightfall. There are just a few days left until the end of daylight saving time (DST), when most Americans will set their clocks back by one hour to officially enter standard time for the upcoming winter season.
The "fall back" will occur on the first Sunday of November, and time zones across the country will allow for an extra hour of sleep. Days are already beginning to feel shorter prior to the official change, as local weather outlets in cities like Chicago have already reported that sunset now comes before 7 p.m. in most places. In theory, people can expect sunlight to fade a whole hour earlier than usual after the change, but days will continue to shorten until December 21, when we observe the winter solstice.
If you're confused about why the changing of clocks is still happening this year, you wouldn't be alone — social media users may stumble upon videos that claim the U.S. government has passed new legislation against daylight saving time (DST). The new federal bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, first passed the Senate in March, positing that permanent daylight saving time should be the standard for all U.S. states.
What many don't realize is that the bill was written to take effect in November 2023, meaning that next year's 'spring forward' time event — when we adjust clocks forward one hour to start DST — would be America's last. Currently, the Sunshine Protection Act is awaiting review by the U.S. House of Representatives, where it needs to be passed by a solid majority before making its way over to President Biden's desk for a final signature.
There has been some discussion of both benefits and drawbacks associated with eliminating a bi-annual shift in time; historically, the shift to standard time zones was packaged as a way to conserve energy, as long summer days would provide brighter evenings, meaning homes would avoid turning on lights until later in the evening. But health experts have previously touted evidence that suggests the stress of adjusting to abrupt overnight time shifts can impact sleep in many ways; one piece of research connected the spring DST shift with a 25% increase in recorded heart attacks in the days following the 'spring forward,' for example.
But one thing is certain; there will be another full year of bi-annual time shifts until U.S. regulators make a final decision on whether daylight saving time will be extended permanently.
When do we turn back clocks to end Daylight Saving Time?
Everyone outside of Arizona and Hawaii — two states where seasonal time shifts don't occur, and haven't since the 1960s — will turn their clocks back by one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 6, 2022.
While sunsets will come earlier at this time, you can expect an even earlier sunrise as a payoff.
DST first began back in March, and when it ends, it will have been in place for a majority of the year; about 238 days in all. According to Farmer's Almanac, DST has lasted from the second Sunday in March all the way through the first Sunday in November for at least 15 years.
When does Daylight Saving Time start and end in 2023?
Regardless of whether the Sunshine Protection Act is fully adopted into law, Americans will once again 'spring forward' and advance their clocks on Sunday, March 12, 2023 — just about 126 days after it ends in 2022. DST is scheduled to end on November 5, 2023.
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