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Clocks Fall Back Sunday as U.S. Returns to Standard Time

Sleep specialists caution that the biannual switch disrupts circadian rhythms, raising health risks.

Overview

  • Clocks are set back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, with most phones updating automatically while ovens, car dashboards and other manual clocks require resetting.
  • Researchers report disruptions tied to the shift, including fatigue, headaches, impaired concentration and cardiovascular stress, with the spring change typically hardest to adjust to.
  • The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and other experts prefer permanent standard time because it aligns better with human biology.
  • Congress has considered making Daylight Saving Time permanent, including a Senate-passed Sunshine Protection Act in a prior session and new bills this year, but no federal change has become law.
  • Daylight Saving Time grew out of World War I energy policy, has been revised multiple times and is not universal in the U.S., with Hawaii, most of Arizona and several territories opting out; a 1973 attempt at permanent DST raised safety concerns during dark winter mornings.