Get ready for an extra hour of sleep on Sunday. That's when most people in the U.S. will “set their clocks back” an hour to mark the end of Daylight Saving Time at 2 a.m. Daylight saving time begins on March 9, 2025, when clocks “spring forward” again.

The change will add daylight in the morning in the fall and at the end of the day in the spring and summer. The idea was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin as a way to save energy, as evidenced by a historical look at the practice of live science.

In the book “Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time,” author David Prerau said Franklin was ambassador to Paris and wrote a letter to the Journal of Paris in 1784 pointing out that the additional Sunlight could replace this burning energy.

Nevertheless, it took a long time for the USA to adopt this practice – and initially only for a short time. In 1918 the times were changed during the First World War. But farmers, who do much of their work in the morning light, disliked the practice and so it was abolished by World War II. In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt brought it back. After the war, however, according to Life Science, “a system in which U.S. states and cities had the choice of whether or not to observe daylight saving time led to free-for-all chaos.” And around this “Wild West.” “To curb chaos, Congress enacted the Uniform Time Act in 1966.”

Hawaii and Arizona said “no thanks” and stayed on standard time, even though the Navajo Nation in Arizona switches to daylight saving time.

When do the clocks change?

States did not have to adopt daylight saving time. But if they did it, it had to be consistent. Since 2007, when the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was enacted and the current schedule was adopted, this means that it begins at 1 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November

In spring, you gain daylight at the end of the day, but lose an hour of sleep due to the change. In autumn you lose daylight at the end of the day, the morning is brighter and you sleep an hour longer.

Is summer time popular?

Like Brussels sprouts, people either love or hate daylight saving time.

The Sunshine Protection Act in Congress would have made the time change permanent, with more sunlight at the end of the day. The proposal passed the Senate unanimously in 2022. But the proposal “hit a brick wall,” as The Hill described it, not even being considered in the House. The article notes that there is some support among House members for not changing the clock, but there is also significant disagreement about what the permanent time should be.

A YouGov poll in March 2022 found that just under 6 in 10 Americans would like to see daylight saving time year-round, compared to 19% who said “no thanks.”

The main reason the matter was not taken up in the House appeared to be that it was not that urgent at the time.

Does changing the clock have an impact on your health?

Health claims are made on both sides of the switch or skip debate.

Those who dislike daylight saving time argue that it disrupts the body's natural circadian rhythm. That includes the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which led a group in 2023 that called on Congress to make standard time the norm year-round. According to ABC News, other sleep organizations have followed suit.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine reported that “although the chronic effects of year-round daylight saving time have not been well studied, daylight saving time is less consistent with human circadian biology – which is due to the effects of daylight saving time…” A delayed natural light -/dark cycle in human activities could lead to circadian misalignment, which has been linked in some studies to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and other health risks.”

Good Morning America and others have listed some pros and cons of keeping Daylight Saving Time year-round.

The pros include more sunlight, safer streets and the belief that it's good for the economy. You are also less prone to depression if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder. On the other hand, some of the health concerns may be alleviated by the fact that more sunlight could lead to the ability to spend more time outdoors exercising or just being active, which is good for the heart and metabolism.

In addition to the health concerns already mentioned, disadvantages include increased gas mileage, reduced productivity due to the sluggish feeling that comes with the time change, and the fact that children may end up going to school in the dark.

Change your internal clock

Time.com found that just a change in hours can throw off sleep schedules. The clock changes, but reality does not. You must still go to work or school at the same time.

Experts recommend that you start making the transition now, gradually changing your bedtime routine to make the transition smooth. You can also get more sunshine to reset your body clock for healthy sleep, the article says.

Dr. ABC News medical contributor Darien Sutton said it's OK to take a nap if the time change makes you tired, but limit a nap to half an hour or less and don't nap after 3 p.m

“Finally, Sutton said it's important to increase your exposure to sunlight during the day, especially in the morning when clocks go back, and limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine,” ABC News reported.