Americans Turn Clocks Back November 1 as Senate Delays Reform

Millions of Americans will turn their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, as daylight saving time ends across most of the United States. The change restores standard time for the winter after the Senate adjourned without approving legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent.

According to reports published by The Desert Sun and The Detroit News, the Sunshine Protection Act passed the House in July but remains stalled in the Senate. President Donald Trump supports the measure, which would eliminate the annual clock changes for most Americans by keeping daylight saving time year-round.

The House vote was recorded as 301-117 in The Desert Sun's report and 308-117 in The Detroit News' account. The legislation reached the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on July 15, but the Senate has not approved it.

Under the existing federal schedule, clocks move forward on the second Sunday in March and return to standard time on the first Sunday in November. The current arrangement took effect in 2007 under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, while the Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a national framework for time changes.

On November 1, clocks will move from 2 a.m. back to 1 a.m., giving people an additional hour overnight while shifting sunrise and sunset earlier by the clock. The Detroit News reported that sunset in Detroit will occur at approximately 5:25 p.m. that day. Daylight saving time is scheduled to resume on March 14, 2027.

Most smartphones, computers, and internet-connected devices adjust automatically, although clocks in vehicles and household appliances may require manual changes. Hawaii, most of Arizona, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not observe the seasonal clock changes.

Public support for ending the practice remains substantial, although Americans disagree over which time system should replace it. A 2023 YouGov survey found that 62% favored eliminating the twice-yearly changes, while a January 2025 Gallup poll found that 54% wanted the practice to end, according to The Desert Sun.

Susan Kohl Malone, an assistant professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, argues in an opinion article published by The Boston Globe that permanent daylight saving time would create health concerns by moving winter daylight away from the morning. She supports ending clock changes but favors permanent standard time instead.

Malone explained that morning sunlight helps synchronize the body's internal clock and triggers physiological processes that prepare people for daily activity. Because permanent daylight saving time would shift clock time one hour ahead of the sun, winter mornings would become darker for workers, commuters, and students.

In Boston, a December sunrise could occur after 8 a.m., while parts of the country, including Indianapolis, could experience sunrise after 9 a.m. Malone warned that these conditions could leave people beginning school or work before receiving sufficient morning light.

She also cited the effects on adolescents, whose biological clocks naturally favor later sleep and waking times. Drawing on her experience as a high school nurse, Malone described students boarding buses as early as 6 a.m. to attend schools beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Malone said inadequate sleep can interfere with memory, emotional regulation, and executive functioning, potentially affecting academic performance and mental health. She argued that later school start times and permanent standard time should work together rather than treating either measure as a substitute for the other.

Her article also cited research linking clock changes to health and safety concerns. One analysis found a 24% increase in heart attacks on the Monday after the springtime change, while strokes, traffic crashes, and workplace accidents have also been associated with the transition.

The United States previously adopted permanent daylight saving time in 1974 during an energy crisis, but Congress reversed the decision after one winter amid concerns about children traveling to school in darkness, according to Malone's account. Sleep and circadian researchers, including the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, support permanent standard time.

Stephanie M. Stahl, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, recommends gradually adjusting sleep schedules before the November transition. In guidance cited by The Desert Sun, she advises shifting bedtime and waking time by 10 to 15 minutes daily when possible, getting outdoor light in the evening, and avoiding screens before the intended waking time.

Additional recommendations include limiting naps to 20 minutes when significant drowsiness occurs, avoiding caffeine after 2 p.m., maintaining regular exercise, and considering a sleep mask to reduce unwanted early-morning light. Parents can also gradually adjust children's sleep schedules before the transition.

Michigan will remain on standard time throughout the winter until daylight saving time returns on March 14, 2027. The winter solstice will occur on December 21, 2026, marking the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.