Daylight Saving Time 2025: When to Change Clocks

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Daylight Saving Time 2025: When to Change Clocks \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, moving clocks forward by one hour. It will last until November 2, when the U.S. returns to standard time. While daylight saving time has been in place since 1918, debates continue over whether it should be made permanent. Some states, like Hawaii and Arizona, do not observe the time change.

Quick Looks

Spring Forward: Clocks in the U.S. will jump ahead one hour on Sunday at 2 a.m.
Duration: Daylight saving time will last until November 2, 2025.
Why We Do It: First introduced in 1918, DST extends evening daylight.
State Exemptions: Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time.
Legislation Efforts: The Sunshine Protection Act seeks to make DST permanent but has stalled in Congress.
Global Practices: Many countries adjust clocks, but schedules vary by region.
Health Concerns: Experts debate the impacts of daylight saving time on sleep and safety.

Deep Look

As the U.S. prepares to “spring forward” this weekend, millions of Americans will set their clocks ahead by one hour, marking the start of daylight saving time (DST) for 2025. The annual shift signals the transition to longer, brighter evenings but also comes with its fair share of debate, disruption, and historical significance.

On Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 2 a.m. local time, clocks will jump ahead to 3 a.m., cutting an hour of sleep but extending daylight hours in the evening. This schedule will remain in effect until November 2, 2025, when the country reverts to standard time.

While daylight saving time has been a part of American life for over a century, questions remain: Why do we still follow this system? Who doesn’t participate? And will the U.S. ever stop changing the clocks?

Why Do We Change the Clocks? A Look at History

The idea of adjusting clocks to match daylight hours is over 100 years old, but its origins trace back even further. The concept was first suggested by Benjamin Franklin in 1784, who humorously proposed in a letter that waking up earlier in the summer would save on candle usage. However, it wasn’t until World War I that the idea was officially put into practice.

The Early Days of Daylight Saving Time

1918 – The U.S. first introduced daylight saving time with the passage of the Standard Time Act, aiming to conserve fuel and energy during wartime by reducing the need for artificial lighting in the evenings.
1919 – DST was repealed after World War I due to widespread unpopularity, making time changes a local decision rather than a national standard.
1942-1945 – During World War II, the U.S. reintroduced “War Time”—a year-round version of daylight saving time—to support the war effort.
1966 – The Uniform Time Act standardized daylight saving time across the country, setting fixed start and end dates but allowing states to opt out if they chose.
2007 – The U.S. extended daylight saving time by four weeks under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, setting the start date as the second Sunday in March and the end date as the first Sunday in November.

Since then, Americans have adjusted their clocks twice a year, though debates continue over whether this practice is still necessary.

Who Doesn’t Observe Daylight Saving Time?

While most of the U.S. follows daylight saving time, Hawaii and most of Arizona do not participate. These states remain on standard time year-round for several reasons:

Hawaii – Located near the equator, Hawaii experiences minimal variation in daylight hours throughout the year, making daylight saving time unnecessary.
Arizona – The state’s hot climate played a role in opting out. Extending daylight hours in the summer means hotter evenings, which increases energy consumption for air conditioning. However, the Navajo Nation, which spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, does observe daylight saving time.

In addition to these states, U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa also do not observe daylight saving time.

The Debate Over Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent

Over the years, various lawmakers and citizens have pushed for eliminating the biannual time change, either by staying on standard time or making daylight saving time permanent.

In March 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. The bill gained bipartisan support and was intended to eliminate the need to change clocks every year.

However, the bill stalled in the House of Representatives, leaving the future of daylight saving time uncertain. If it were to pass, the change would mean:

No more “springing forward” or “falling back”—clocks would stay on daylight saving time permanently.
Brighter evenings in the winter months, reducing reliance on artificial lighting in the evening.
Darker mornings in some regions, meaning sunrise would occur later, especially in northern states.

Former President Donald Trump has weighed in on the debate, suggesting that eliminating time changes would simplify daily life and reduce confusion. However, he also acknowledged that public opinion is divided.

“I assume people would like to have more light late, but some people want to have more light earlier because they don’t want to take their kids to school in the dark,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question.

Do Other Countries Follow Daylight Saving Time?

The U.S. is not alone in adjusting clocks for daylight saving time. Many other countries follow similar practices, though the schedules differ.

Countries That Observe Daylight Saving Time

European Union – Countries in the EU observe daylight saving time but are considering eliminating it.
Canada – Most Canadian provinces change their clocks along with the U.S.
Australia & New Zealand – These countries follow their own daylight saving time schedules, though not all regions participate.
South America & Africa – Some countries in these continents use daylight saving time, but many have discontinued the practice.

Countries That Do Not Observe Daylight Saving Time

Several major countries have abandoned daylight saving time entirely, including:

China – Stopped observing DST in 1991.
India – Does not follow DST due to its location near the equator.
Russia – Eliminated DST in 2014, staying on standard time year-round.
Japan – Has not observed daylight saving time since World War II.

How Does Daylight Saving Time Affect Health and Safety?

While daylight saving time extends daylight hours in the evening, it can disrupt sleep patterns and affect public safety.

Sleep Disruptions – Studies suggest that the sudden one-hour shift can increase fatigue, leading to reduced productivity and higher risks of health issues such as heart attacks.
Traffic Accidents – A June 2022 study found that regions where solar time and clock time were misaligned had 22% higher fatal road accident rates than areas where they were closely matched.
Crime Rates – Some studies indicate that daylight saving time reduces crime rates by increasing daylight hours in the evening, when crimes such as robberies are more likely to occur.

Sleep experts argue that standard time aligns more closely with human biological rhythms, while supporters of permanent daylight saving time point to the economic and social benefits of longer daylight hours.

Will the U.S. Ever Stop Changing the Clocks?

For now, Americans will continue adjusting their clocks twice a year. Until Congress reaches a final decision on daylight saving time, the spring forward and fall back routine will remain a part of daily life.

With over 20 states passing legislation in favor of permanent daylight saving time, change could be on the horizon. However, without federal approval, states must continue waiting for Congress to act.

Until then, don’t forget to set your clocks forward this Sunday—unless, of course, you live in Arizona or Hawaii.