Daylight saving time ends Sunday: how to prepare for 'fall back' and why sleep experts want it to be the last change

If you woke up Monday wondering whether you lost or gained an hour over the weekend, the answer for most Americans is neither. U.S. clocks have not changed yet. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks move back one hour to 1 a.m. That is six days away.

The confusion has a simple source: Europe changed its clocks on Sunday, Oct. 25, a week ahead of the U.S., according to timeanddate.com. Until Nov. 1, the time gap between the U.S. and Europe is one hour shorter than usual.

With the change now days away, here is how to get ready and where the push to end clock changes stands.

When is fall back 2026?

Under current federal law, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November, USA Today notes. Hawaii, most of Arizona (except the Navajo Nation), American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands stay on standard time all year and will not change.

How to adjust to the time change

Gaining an hour sounds painless, but sleep doctors say any shift in your schedule can throw off your body clock for a few days. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends these steps for the fall change:

• Get enough sleep. Aim for at least seven hours a night before and after the change.
• Ease in early. In the days before Nov. 1, push your bedtime slightly later, along with other daily “time cues” such as meals and exercise.
• Set clocks Saturday night. Change your clocks to the new time on Saturday evening, then go to bed at your normal bedtime.
• Keep wake times steady. Get up at the same time every day, weekends included.
• Go outside in the morning. Early sunlight in the days after the change helps reset your internal clock.
• Watch late caffeine. Skip extra coffee or soda late in the day while you adjust.
• Give kids time. Children and teens may need longer to adapt, so keep bedtime routines consistent.

Most people adjust within a few days, according to the AASM’s Sleep Education site. Anyone who regularly has trouble sleeping or feels tired during the day should talk to a doctor.

This is general information, not medical advice.

Why sleep experts want this to be the last change

The AASM and the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time used this year’s fall change to lobby Congress. Their argument is that permanent standard time, the time Americans return to on Nov. 1, fits the body’s natural rhythm better than permanent daylight time.

“This should be the last time we ever have to change our clocks,” said Dr. Karin Johnson, a sleep medicine physician and co-chair of the coalition’s steering committee, in an AASM statement. “Lawmakers have an opportunity to end this cycle for good by choosing permanent standard time for brighter mornings, better sleep, and safer streets.”

Christopher Barnes, a professor at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, told USA Today that people like daylight saving time because they “envision themselves having many evening barbecues outside.” But he warned that permanent daylight time would cause widespread “circadian misalignment” that “would be bad for sleep and health outcomes.”

Two bills, two very different answers

Congress has two competing proposals, according to the AASM:

• Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139): makes daylight saving time permanent. That would mean later sunrises and darker winter mornings.
• Sunshine for Our Kids Act (H.R. 9638): makes standard time permanent, keeping more morning light.

The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House in July, but it has stalled in the Senate, USA Today reports. President Donald Trump has pressed Senate Republicans to act, calling the twice-yearly switch “ridiculous” in an Oct. 2 Truth Social post. Several Republican senators remain unconvinced. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas has pointed to the country’s earlier, short-lived experiment with year-round daylight time, which was reversed after complaints about very late winter sunrises. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi has raised safety concerns about children waiting for school buses in the dark. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Politico there is “no clear path forward.”

With lawmakers out of Washington before the midterm elections, nothing will change before Sunday.

Do Americans want to stop changing clocks?

Many do, but they disagree on what should replace it. USA Today cites a 2023 YouGov survey that found 62% of Americans favored ending the time changes, and a January 2025 Gallup poll in which 54% wanted to end the practice. Some people want brighter evenings year-round. Others prefer the brighter winter mornings that permanent standard time would bring.

FAQ

Earlier coverage: When does daylight saving time end in 2026? Clocks fall back Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m. (Oct 25)