Daylight Saving Time 2025: What You Need to Know About the Time Change

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The practice of daylight saving time has been a part of American life for over a century, with the first implementation in 1918 as a World War I era measure. However, it was repudiated in 1919 after farmers, who were commonly cited as a reason for the practice, rejected it due to the disruptions it caused to their schedules. The time change was reimplemented in 1966 with the Uniform Time Act, which standardized time zones across the nation. Today, most people in the U.S. will soon face the first of the twice-annual hourly disruptions as daylight saving time sweeps into effect in under a week.

Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 2 a.m. local time, and it is the time between March and November when most Americans adjust their clocks ahead by one hour. We lose an hour in March, as opposed to gaining an hour in the fall, to make for more daylight in the summer evenings. In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal, or spring equinox, is on March 20, marking the start of the spring season. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 2, 2025. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation, due to the state's desert climate and the lack of a good reason to adjust clocks to make sunset occur an hour later during the hottest months of the year.

The start of daylight saving time can have significant effects on our health and daily life. The time change can cause disruptions to our sleep patterns, leading to less sleep in the days following the change. It can also contribute to later sunsets, which can affect our daily routines and activities. Furthermore, the time change can have economic and environmental impacts, with some arguing that it can help conserve energy by reducing the need for artificial lighting. However, others argue that the energy-saving benefits of daylight saving time are not as significant as previously thought, and that the time change can have negative impacts on certain industries, such as agriculture and transportation.

There have been efforts to eliminate or modify daylight saving time in recent years. President Donald Trump has expressed support for eliminating the time change, and there have been bills introduced in Congress to make daylight saving time permanent. However, these efforts have been met with resistance, and the bi-annual ritual of changing the clock remains. Some states, such as Oklahoma, have approved legislation to permanently observe daylight saving time, but these changes require approval from Congress to take effect. Daylight saving time is now used in more than 70 countries worldwide and affects over one billion people every year, with the beginning and end dates varying from one country to another.

As the start of daylight saving time approaches, it is essential to be prepared for the time change. Most phones and computers automatically adjust for the time change, but manual clocks need to be reset. It is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke alarm and to take steps to minimize the disruptions to your sleep patterns and daily routine. By understanding the effects of daylight saving time and taking steps to prepare, we can reduce the negative impacts of the time change and make the most of the extra hour of daylight in the summer evenings. Some key points to keep in mind about daylight saving time include: * Daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November * The time change can cause disruptions to sleep patterns and daily routines * Daylight saving time is observed in most states, except for Hawaii and Arizona * There are efforts to eliminate or modify daylight saving time, but these efforts have been met with resistance * Daylight saving time is used in over 70 countries worldwide and affects over one billion people every year