When Is Daylight Saving Time 2024? What to Know

The beginning of November means it’s time to change the clocks back and get an extra hour of sleep.

Daylight saving time 2024 ends on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2:00 am, when the clocks go back exactly one hour. This time change will stay the same for the next four months until March 2025, when daylight saving time begins yet again.

While the biannual shift seems habitual for most Americans, many have argued that permanent standard time is more optimal for health.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reported in a January 2024 study that eliminating seasonal time changes would best align with the body’s circadian rhythm, since daylight saving time can create misalignment between your body’s social clock and internal biological clock.

Here is everything you need to know about daylight saving time, from when to turn your clocks back to tips on reducing negative side effects.

When is daylight saving time in 2024?

Daylight saving time 2024 started on March 10, 2024, when the clocks skip from 2:00 am to 3 am Daylight saving time 2024 lasts until Nov. 3, 2024, when clocks go from 2:00 am back to 1 am

Daylight saving time is an annual practice affecting most but not all Americans. It starts every year on the second Sunday in March and ends every year on the first Sunday in November, when we return to standard time.

How does daylight save time work?

Daylight saving time works by moving clocks one hour ahead in order to have more sunny hours in the evening during the warmest-weather months, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

This allows us to maximize the amount of sunlight we get while we’re awake. The effect is more noticeable the farther you are from the equator, meaning northern states will feel it more than southern states.

Contrary to popular belief, daylight saving time was not introduced to help farmers get some extra sun. Instead, it was put in practice with the Standard Time Act of 1918 during World War I as a way to conserve energy, but the actual effects have been minimal at best, the Scientific American reported.

How long does daylight saving time last?

Daylight saving time lasts about eight months, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

Daylight saving time 2024 will last from March 10, 2024, to Nov. 3, 2024.

Which states don’t observe daylight saving time?

According to the US Department of Transportationthe following US states and territories do not observe daylight saving time:

Hawaii

Most of Arizona

Puerto Rico

American Samoa

Guam

The Virgin Islands

Northern Mariana Islands

What happens if daylight saving time is permanent?

If daylight saving time was to be made permanent, there would be no changing of clocks twice a year. In addition to eliminating the practical hassle, this could have health benefits for many people.

Although it might seem like gaining or losing a single hour of sleep shouldn’t make much of a difference, it absolutely does. Studies have also shown an increase in heart attacks, car crashes and other ill health effects, particularly when clocks spring forward.

Some sleep health experts argue that permanent standard time would be preferable to permanent daylight saving time. Ash said we lose about 30 minutes of sleep a night during daylight saving time from March to November due to our bodies being misaligned with the sun.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is “in favor of a national, fixed, year-round time,” the organization’s website says. The best evidence we have now suggests that year-round standard time (rather than daylight saving time) “aligns best with human circadian biology and provides distinct benefits for public health and safety.”

We’ve made daylight saving time permanent before: In January 1974, President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act into law, which eliminated clock-changing for 16 months. While the move (designed as a two-year experiment) was initially quite popular, public opinion turned later in the year. Lawmakers ended the experiment early and standard time was reintroduced in October 1974.

More recently, the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time last all year, passed unanimously in the Senate in 2022 but failed to pass in the House of Representatives, so it wasn’t signed into law. The bill was introduced again in 2023 but has since stalled.

Tips to reduce health effects of daylight saving time

You can reduce the negative health effects of daylight saving time ending by making some adjustments to your routine.

Before the time change:

Reconsider your bed and wake-up times: Try going to bed and waking up later in the days before the change to get used to the one-hour shift. The night before, stay up an hour after your usual bedtime.

Shift your kids’ schedules, too: Adjusting your kids’ schedules in the days leading up to the change can help them adjust better and leave them feeling less drowsy for school on Monday morning, experts say.

Change your clocks: “The brain looks for visual cues to know what time it is,” Ash said. Try changing the time on your watch and clocks to 15 minutes behind each day before daylight saving time ends.

After the time change:

Avoid naps: “If you feel sleepy the day after the change, try to resist taking a nap because this will reduce the amount of sleep pressure present at bedtime and can create longer term sleep problems. If you must nap, keep it to 15 to 20 minutes, ideally in the late morning,” said Candice A. Alfano, Ph.D., director of the University of Houston’s Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston.

Seek out sunshine: Daylight saving time ending means there will be fewer sunlit hours when you’re awake, so try to take as much sun in as you can during your waking hours. “Light has potent effects on our internal body clock and will help you feel less tired,” Alfano added.

Practice good sleep hygiene: All year round, it’s important to prioritize good-quality sleep with practices like limiting screens before bed, having a consistent bedtime, exercising regularly (and not too close to bedtime), reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, and trying to manage your stress levels.

Be careful when driving: Losing an hour of sleep increases car accidents around the country, but there is also a greater risk after we fall back in November. So, make sure you’re being extra careful behind the wheel in the days after the time change.