Clocks moved backward across most of the United States early Sunday morning, bringing an end to daylight saving time for 2026 and returning the country to standard time.
The official transition took place at 2 a.m. local time on Nov. 1, rolling clocks back to 1 a.m. The annual shift gave millions of Americans an extra sixty minutes of rest, concluding a period that began on March 8, 2026.
How the shift alters daily schedules
Returning to standard time moves sunlight from late afternoon into the early morning hours. In Boston, for instance, the sun rose at 7:16 a.m. and set at 5:39 p.m. on Saturday, according to data from the National Weather Service reported by CBS News. With standard time taking effect Sunday, sunrise in the city arrived at 6:17 a.m., while darkness fell by 4:37 p.m.
The shift also adjusts live schedules, including international sports broadcasts. The Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal kicked off at 4:30 p.m. local time in the United Kingdom, USA TODAY Sports reported. Because Britain concluded its own daylight saving period on Oct. 25, the gap between London and the U.S. East Coast had temporarily shrunk to four hours. Sunday’s change restored the typical five-hour difference, setting the match at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time.
While smartphones and internet-connected devices typically adjust their clocks automatically, mechanical watches, car dashboards and home appliances require manual updates.
Locations skipping the clock change
Not every part of the country took part in the overnight adjustment. Hawaii and the vast majority of Arizona do not follow daylight saving time, remaining on standard time year-round. An exception exists within the Navajo Nation, which spans portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah; the tribal community implements the change to stay synchronized across state boundaries, CBS News reported.
Several U.S. territories also ignore the practice. Residents in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not adjust their timepieces in the spring or fall.
Physical adjustments and health recommendations
Although the clock change yields extra sleep, health professionals caution that adjusting internal rhythms can prove challenging. Neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Pedram Navab told the New York Post that human biology requires several days to synchronize with a new schedule.
“Light, wake time and daily habits tell your body when it’s time to sleep,” Navab said.
Navab advised keeping a steady bedtime, avoiding heavy foods late at night and limiting evening electronics. He suggested taking one milligram of over-the-counter melatonin rather than prescription sleeping pills, while incorporating magnesium glycinate and Vitamin D to assist rest.
Congressional push for permanent daylight saving
The system of moving clocks on the first Sunday of November and the second Sunday of March has been standard federal policy since 2007. However, federal lawmakers continue to push for an end to the twice-yearly routine.
A measure known as the Sunshine Protection Act cleared the House of Representatives in July and moved to the Senate, CBS News reported. The proposal would establish permanent daylight saving time nationwide while allowing individual states to choose year-round standard time. President Trump expressed backing for the measure and publicly criticized Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas for preventing the bill from advancing. Trump shared what he identified as Cotton’s mobile phone contact on social platforms, urging constituents to lobby him directly.
Cotton pushed back, recalling that the federal government abandoned year-round daylight saving experiments during the 1970s after citizens reacted poorly to dark winter mornings, CBS News reported. The proposal faces an urgent timeline: it will expire in early January if the Senate fails to act before newly elected lawmakers arrive from the midterm elections.
Unless federal law is amended before the spring, daylight saving time will return on Sunday, March 14, 2027.
