Daylight saving time, when clocks move forward an hour, starts on March 8, 2026. This practice, dating back to World War I, is aimed at conserving energy. The Uniform Time Act standardized it, although it's not observed everywhere, including Hawaii and most of Arizona. Notably, British Columbia is making its final clock change.
It’s time to spring forward – again. Daylight saving time, when most Americans set their clocks forward one hour, starts this weekend. Here’s what to know: Daylight saving time will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
Daylight saving time is defined as a period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the country are set one hour ahead of standard time. According to federal law, it always starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.The practice of springing forward in the U.S. started in 1918 during World War I as a way to conserve fuel. By moving the clocks ahead an hour, backers believed the country could divert a bit of coal-fired electricity to the military instead of using it for an hour of home power. It was reenacted in World War II.It was repealed again when the war ended, but some states — and even some cities — continued to observe daylight saving time while others kept standard time year-round. That meant driving relatively short distances could result in a time change.By 1966, airlines and other businesses tired of such quirks and pushed Congress to pass the Uniform Time Act. It codified daylight saving time, although it has been modified periodically.No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.In Canada’s British Columbia, residents there are changing their clocks for the last time. According to the B.C. government, the province decided to make the change based, in part, on the evolving relationship between Canada and the U.S. under President Donald Trump. "Recent actions from the U.S. have shifted how B.C. approaches decisions that merit alignment, including on time zones," the government said. "Making this change now reflects the current preferences and needs of British Columbians, and helps ensure the province is well-positioned to thrive, even when circumstances across the border evolve."There’s a growing movement to make daylight saving time permanent, but if and when it will happen remains to be seen. Even though polls show most people dislike changing their clocks twice a year, the political will needed to change the system hasn’t succeeded because opinions on the issue are sharply divided.RELATED: As daylight saving time approaches, most Americans say they're ready to end itMaking daylight saving time permanent would mean the sun rises around 9 a.m. in Detroit for a while during the winter. If we stayed on standard time all year, the sun would rise at 4:11 a.m. in Seattle in June. At least 20 states have enacted legislation or passed resolutions to make daylight saving time permanent pending congressional approval. In some states, their law is dependent on surrounding states enacting the same law.A bill introduced in Congress in 2023 to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide has repeatedly stalled.According to experts, darker mornings and lighter evenings can disrupt the body’s internal clock and cause sleep trouble for weeks or even longer. "Not unlike when one travels across many time zones, how long it can take is very different for different people," Dr. Eduardo Sanchez of the American Heart Association told the Associated Press. "Understand that your body is transitioning."RELATED: Daylight saving time: How springing forward could affect your healthPrevious studies have even found an uptick in heart attacks and strokes after the March time change. The American Heart Association points to studies that suggest an uptick in heart attacks on the Monday after daylight saving time begins, and in strokes for two days afterward.Fatal car crashes also go up the first few days after the spring time change, according to a study of U.S. traffic fatalities. The risk was highest in the morning, and researchers attributed it to sleep deprivation.
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