What you should know about the end of daylight saving time in 2024

Autumn is in full swing and Santa Claus will soon be collecting his reindeer for Christmas presents.

At least the children are happy about it when winter approaches.

It's also almost time for Daylight Saving Time to end, and many Americans are expressing fear of a “backslide.” Furthermore, those who complain may be right.

According to a recent Forbes story, daylight saving time “has many visible and invisible effects on us.” Neurologist and sleep doctor W. Christopher Winter of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine said this about the practice, which has an impact on the body's timing mechanism and circadian rhythms – processes that control the brain:

“If we move to daylight saving time, our ability to effectively manage these systems will be impacted,” Winter said. “While daylight saving time may feel better over time as we get used to daylight saving time, these problems never really go away.”

Here's where you can expect to gain an hour of sleep this year.

When does summer time end this year? When will Americans “fall back”?

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 3rd at 2 a.m. local time. At this point, most Americans “fall back” and sleep an hour longer.

When does summer time start again?

Daylight saving time begins again on March 9, 2025.

What is Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight saving time is the time between November and March when most Americans set their clocks forward one hour.

When did summer time start?

In 2024, Daylight Saving Time began on Sunday, March 10, at 2 a.m. local time. At this point, most Americans had their clocks moved forward one hour.

Are there parts of the US that do not observe daylight saving time?

Yes. According to a USA TODAY story, Arizona does not observe time changes (except for the Navajo Nation) due to its desert climate. Hawaii is another state that is not observed due to its proximity to the equator. American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are areas that do not observe Daylight Saving Time.

Will Daylight Saving Time Ever End?

Back in 2022, a bill called the Sunshine Protection Act was unanimously approved to make daylight saving time permanent. However, the US House of Representatives did not pass it. President Joe Biden also did not sign it. The Sunshine Protection Act of 2023 is stalled in Congress.

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her by email at [email protected].