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Will We Ever Stop Changing the Clocks? The Fight Over DST

white analog clock sitting in green grass, with the face reading 8:00
Image Credit:
M.Vich/Shutterstock
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Every fall and spring, Americans grumble about changing the clocks—“fall back” in November, “spring forward” in March. But will this ritual ever end? Here’s the latest news on the push to stop switching between Daylight Saving Time (DST) and Standard Time, plus a look back at how we got here.

The Next Clock Change

The next change happens on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 A.M., when Daylight Saving Time ends. Clocks will “fall back” one hour to Standard Time. Most people set their clocks forward before going to bed on Saturday night, March 7, so they wake up at the correct time Sunday morning. For quick and accurate time conversions across U.S. and world time zones, try our Time Zone Converter.

Why We Still Change the Clocks

Many Americans feel that changing clocks is outdated. Studies show:

  • A 2022 CBS News poll: 33% want permanent Standard Time, 46% want permanent DST, and 21% are fine with switching twice a year.
  • A 2022 Monmouth poll: 13% prefer Standard Time year-round, 44% prefer DST year-round, and 35% are okay with switching.

The debate continues: Standard Time aligns with the sun and human circadian rhythms, while DST gives later sunsets and more evening daylight.

Does Changing the Clocks Save Energy?

Not significantly. A 2008 U.S. Department of Energy report found only a 0.5% drop in daily electricity use during extended DST weeks. Modern studies find little benefit.

Health, Safety, and Other Effects of Time Change

  • Sleep & health: Standard Time aligns better with circadian rhythms. The spring switch is linked to increased heart attacks and strokes.
  • Safety: Fatal accidents rise after the spring change, though robberies drop with lighter evenings.
  • Mental health: The fall switch has been linked to higher rates of depression diagnoses.
  • Lifestyle: Extra evening daylight boosts outdoor activity, but economic activity dips after the fall change.

See our 5 Tips to Adjust to Daylight Saving Time for help with the transition.

The Push to End Clock Changes

In recent years, public frustration has fueled political momentum to make either DST or Standard Time permanent.

  • 2018–2022: Dozens of states passed resolutions or laws in favor of permanent Daylight Saving Time, though federal approval was required.
  • 2022: The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act to make DST permanent. However, the bill stalled in the House.
  • 2023–2025: New versions of the bill have been introduced, but none have advanced to law.

Who Wants to Lock the Clock?

While Congress has not yet passed legislation for permanent DST, states are taking matters into their own hands:

As of this writing, 29 states are actively pursuing some form of permanent time change.

  • Permanent Daylight Saving Time: 19 states have passed laws or resolutions to adopt year-round DST once federal approval is granted.
  • Permanent Standard Time: 6 states are pursuing year-round Standard Time.
  • Mixed or contingent initiatives: 4 states have considered both options or proposals contingent on federal action.
  • No initiative to change: 19 states have not introduced any legislation regarding DST or Standard Time.
  • Already on Standard Time year-round: Hawaii and most of Arizona (except the Navajo Nation).

On June 20, 2025, Texas passed a law aiming for year-round DST, but it won’t take effect until Congress allows it.

A Brief History of Clock Changes

The U.S. has wrestled with clock changes for over a century, and permanent DST has been attempted and reversed multiple times. The United States first adopted nationwide clock changes during World War I to save energy, then again during World War II. Since 1966, the Uniform Time Act has regulated the biannual time change.

  • 1918 – World War I: DST was introduced as a fuel-saving measure. Contrary to myth, farmers opposed it because shifting hours disrupted livestock and work routines. The law lasted only 7 months, though some states continued observing it locally.
  • 1942–1945 – World War II: President Franklin D. Roosevelt established year-round “War Time” DST.
  • 1945–1966: States observed DST inconsistently, creating confusion for transportation, broadcasting, and commerce.
  • 1966 – Uniform Time Act: Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, this standardized DST across U.S. time zones. States could opt out, but the system became the national norm.
  • 1974 – Energy Crisis: DST was made year-round to save energy, but the change was unpopular, especially for children going to school in the dark.
  • 2005 – Energy Policy Act: Established the current system of DST from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. States can opt out to stay on Standard Time, but cannot adopt year-round DST without Congress.

Exceptions today: Hawaii, most of Arizona, and U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas) remain on Standard Time.

For more history, see our main Daylight Saving Time page.

Where Things Stand in 2026

As of July 2026, Americans will still be changing their clocks twice a year. No federal law has passed to end the switch. A majority of states support the change in principle, but Congress must act before anything can take effect nationwide.

Will the Clock Changes Ever Stop?

The answer remains: Not yet. While the issue has bipartisan support and broad public approval, the debate continues over which time should be adopted permanently—Daylight Saving or Standard Time. Until Congress resolves the question, “springing forward” and “falling back” continue.

What Other Countries Do

Frustrations with clock changes are not limited to the U.S.:

  • European Union: 80% of residents want to end seasonal clock changes.
  • Countries that abolished DST: Argentina (2009), Russia (2014), Turkey (2016).

Frequently Asked Questions

When do we change clocks in 2026?

Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 A.M. Clocks “fall back” one hour.

Will this be the last time we change the clocks?

Not yet. Congress has not passed a law to make DST or Standard Time permanent.

Why do we change the clocks?

Originally, to save energy during wartime; today it’s largely historical and standardized by law.

Can states stop changing their clocks?

States can opt out of DST and stay on Standard Time (like Hawaii and Arizona) but cannot adopt year-round DST without federal approval.

Does changing the clocks save energy or improve safety?

Energy savings are minimal. DST may reduce evening crime and encourage activity, but it temporarily increases car accidents and health risks, and it affects sleep and mental health.

Bottom line: The next clock change is November 1, 2026, when Americans set their clocks back 1 hour. Until Congress acts, the twice-yearly time change continues.

What do you think about Daylight Saving Time? Tell us in your comments below.

History

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Jw</span> Tue, 06/15/2021 - 14:30
The light is best used end of the day... not everyone gets up early to the point of using the time in the morning... having more light at the end of the day in winter is far more useful for the majority of people. And the whole notion that Standard Time is "right" by some biological sense is goofy... what time of day is what hour is a human notion... the sun doesn't tell us "This is 6am"; some human came up with the definitions and passed it on. When the clocks change back in the fall it is sad because it is an hour of light lost... for many months it means most of us leave a first shift work day in darkness.
<span>Guney</span> Fri, 06/11/2021 - 06:19
I'm living in Turkey that switched to permanent DST a few years ago. Turkey is located around longitude of 39 degrees (corresponds to a little bit of north of mid USA). During winter children are having hard time waking up and going to school while the sun is not set yet and everywhere is still dark. Also many working class people are facing depression because of going to work while it is still dark like night. It becomes worse in bigger cities like Istanbul or Ankara (consider New York for example). Yes, children get some outdoors play time in the evening but it is not that useful because going that north, winters start to be really cold for outside play, especially in inner regions. I wonder if that worths waking the children and working people up in the dark. Another very important point is, in winter while permanent DST allows business owners to save energy while it causes households to consume more energy. Because households need to use their lights when preparing for school or work in the morning. Permanent DST in winter is more like transferring where energy is spent from businesses to households. It is not that energy friendly when you transfer energy consumption of a single business to many households of their works. But it still goods look if you only consider the profitability of businesses, where workers spend more instead of them.
<span>Lf</span> Fri, 05/28/2021 - 05:23
The process of switching clocks forward and back unfortunately still make sense in a number of northern locations in the US. In certain locations further south, not so much. The problem is complicated by the fact that by going by geography some locations in the US (such as Indiana and Michigan which should both be in the Central Time Zone) are in the wrong time zone. Example where it makes sense: NYC. Its shortest daytimes sees the sun rises at about 7:20 AM and set at roughly 4:30 PM. Its longest daytimes see the sun rise at about 5:30 AM and set at about 8:30 PM. If we use DST year round, the sun would rise at 8:20 AM during the winter. If we use EST year round, the sun will rise at about 4:30 AM. When the US had DST year round in the 70s, a common objection raised was that children were going to school in the dark during the winter. Examples where changing the time does not makes sense: Dallas. Its shortest daytimes sees the sun rises at about 7:30 AM and set at roughly 5:40 PM. Its longest daytimes see the sun rise at about 6:20 AM and set at about 8:40 PM. If we use DST year round, the sun will rise at about 8:30 AM during the winter. However, if we use CST year round, the sun will rise at about 5:20 AM in the summer and set at about 7:40 PM. Dallas, like most of Arizona is typically very hot in the summer. The temperatures aren't quite as high as most of Arizona but it experiences higher humidity. For states such as Texas and Oklahoma, which experiences these hot summers, staying on CST year-round makes the most sense. In short, based on geography the practice of changing the clocks forward and back should be kept in certain areas but not others.
<span>Jack Moschetto</span> Sat, 05/22/2021 - 14:36
Let's stop changing the clocks let's leave to daylight saving time all year round
<span>Frank Spada</span> Fri, 05/14/2021 - 11:34
Please look at the real history of permanent DST. It always fails and is not healthy. Standard Time is the natural and healthy choice since it is based on the natural rhythm of the sun. Make Standard Time permanent.
<span>A Miller</span> Tue, 05/11/2021 - 16:32
The darkest and coldest days of the year are the hardest to work on a farm. The water is frozen and the ground is too. Daylight Saving Time in winter would force me to work my farm nearly three hours before sunrise since I am a full time educator "by day." This would be the equivalent of working the farm at 2:30 am in June, which no one would ever thinks makes sense. Yet that's the reality construction workers, ag workers, and any others who are outside (include child bus riders) would be forced to contend with if DST were further extended. It's bad enough as it is, in March and October. Let's not make things worse. It's not all about the sunset, folks. Winter days are simply shorter no matter what the clock says.
<span>Jay Pea</span> Tue, 05/11/2021 - 13:11
With all due respect, please look deeper into this issue. Permanent DST is promoted by cherry-picked studies from lobbyists for golf and retail to increase spending. It is opposed by advocates for health, safety, education, and civil liberties—including the National Safety Council, National PTA, and American Academy of Sleep Medicine—who endorse instead permanent Standard Time. Standard Time is the real time, defined by the sun. DST darkens and shortens mornings, when farmers need light most. More information is at SaveStandardTime.com, and I’d be glad to converse directly by email or phone. Thank you!
<span>Kath</span> Thu, 04/29/2021 - 08:29
Your article states, “In 2020, Utah passed a bill to end the practice of “springing forward”.” If they wanted to stop springing forward, that means they would stay on standard time. But reading on in the article, you can surmise that is NOT what they want. They want to spring forward and stay there, keeping DST as their time year round. They don’t want to end the practice of springing forward, they want to end the practice of falling back. As much clarity as possible could only help this debate, as I have read numerous comments on this article alone where people are arguing a particular side, but are actually misnaming their argument so that they are arguing for the side they are opposed to, all because they don’t know which is which, DST or standard. Thank you for your consideration, and for providing this information. For the record, I haven’t decided if I’m pro DST or standard, but I do want to stop changing the clock.
<span>Chris</span> Wed, 04/28/2021 - 23:41
Make the kids get up earlier if they want to play more. It's also safer to be on standard time. When kids are outside waiting for the bus, at 7:00 AM, on Standard time, it's already light out and therefore kids are not as likely to be hit by cars. During daylight savings time, it's still dark at 7 AM. Plus, you don't really get more sunlight. People who want more sunlight is really going to feel like retards if this passes when December 21st comes and they find out that it's dark by 6 PM anyway.
<span>Sean C</span> Sun, 04/25/2021 - 14:51
Growing up in the northeast it was dark at 4:00pm much of the winter which was terrible. I live in the south now but still would be happy for more sun in the winter. So DST only please!