Daylight savings 2026

Daylight Savings Time Commences

Daylight saving time commenced on March 8, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time, advancing clocks one hour forward. Most regions of the United States experienced a loss of one hour of sleep due to this time change.

In Boston, the sun rose at 6:09 a.m. and set at 5:41 p.m. on March 7, 2026, before the time change. After the adjustment, the sunrise occurred at 7:08 a.m. and sunset at 6:42 p.m. on March 8, 2026, providing an additional hour of evening daylight.

Daylight saving time will be observed for a total of 238 days in 2026, concluding at 2 a.m. local time on November 1, 2026. This practice has been a topic of debate, with experts arguing that it disrupts sleep and creates confusion over clock changes.

Notably, only Hawaii and Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. The practice was first adopted in the U.S. in 1918 during World War I to conserve fuel.

Since 2007, daylight saving time has started on the second Sunday of March, a shift from the previous schedule that began on the first Sunday of April. Before 1987, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 designated the start date as the last Sunday of April.

The experiment of year-round daylight saving time occurred in 1974 during the energy crisis, highlighting the ongoing discussions about the efficacy and necessity of this time change.

As the 2026 daylight saving time period unfolds, observers will continue to monitor its impact on sleep patterns and daily routines across the nation. Details remain unconfirmed regarding any potential changes to this long-standing practice in the future.