Guide · Clock change

When does daylight saving time end in 2026?

Twice a year the clocks change by one hour. In the US that happens at 2 am on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November; dates: Sunday, November 1, 2026 (clocks go back), Sunday, March 14, 2027 (clocks go forward) and Sunday, November 7, 2027 (clocks go back). In the UK the clocks change on the last Sunday in March and October; dates: Sunday, 25 October 2026 (clocks go back), Sunday, 28 March 2027 (clocks go forward) and Sunday, 31 October 2027 (clocks go back). One hour sounds small, but it can throw off waking up, meals and evening tiredness for a while. A little planning makes the switch easier for many people.

LightOtter editorial team · reviewed against the sources below · · updated · Who is behind it

Daylight Saving Time: Dates and a 4-Day Plan
The short answer

When do the clocks change in the US and the UK?

In the US, clocks go back one hour at 2 am on Sunday, November 1, 2026 (15 U.S.C. § 260a); in the UK, they go back one hour on Sunday, 25 October 2026. Daylight stays put; many people need a few days to adjust. Simple levers: morning daylight, dimmer evenings and a steady wake-up time (Brown et al., 2022).

What happens when the clocks go back?

When the clocks “fall back”, 2 am becomes 1 am again. From that Sunday it gets light an hour earlier in the morning and dark an hour earlier in the evening, at least by the clock. Your alarm, work and appointments move with the clock; the daylight does not.

In the first days the evening often feels longer, and some people wake up before the alarm.

Why does light matter when the clocks change?

A US sleep medicine society describes how switching between daylight saving time and standard time shifts clock time against daylight (Rishi et al., 2024). When you get light during the day depends mostly on the clock: your commute, your lunch break, the end of your workday.

An international expert panel recommends plenty of light during the day and dimmer light in the evening (Brown et al., 2022). You can plan exactly that around the clock change.

Step by step: the 7-day plan to reset your circadian rhythm.

Spring forward is usually harder

In March the clocks go forward one hour. By the clock it is dark longer in the morning again, and many people find getting up harder. The plan below works then too: get up a little earlier on the days before, get outside in the morning and dim the lights earlier in the evening.

Which places do not change their clocks?

Not everyone switches. In the US, Hawaii, most of Arizona (except the Navajo Nation), Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands stay on standard time all year (NIST). If you live there, the clock change only matters when you deal with places that do switch.

Your 4-day plan around the fall clock change

For the fall change. What is different in spring is in the section above.
Friday beforeGet up at your usual time and get daylight outside in the first hour. Dim the lights in the evening as usual.
Saturday beforeGet up at your usual time, no sleeping in. Go to bed at your usual time; the night gets an hour longer with the change.
Sunday (change)Get up at your usual time by the new clock and go straight outside. Avoid a long nap.
Monday afterSteady wake-up time, morning light on your commute or in your first break, dim evening. Then simply keep it up.

Questions about daylight saving time

How long does it take to adjust to daylight saving time?

Usually a few days. How fast it goes differs from person to person. A steady wake-up time and morning daylight make it easier for many people.

Should I go to bed earlier?

In the fall, usually not: the clock goes back and the evening gets longer by the clock. Keep your wake-up time and go to bed when you feel sleepy. In spring it can help to go to bed a little earlier on the days before, step by step.

What if it is still dark in the morning?

Use your first daylight window after sunrise, for example on your commute or in an early break. Until then, bright light indoors makes the wait easier. The winter tiredness guide has more on dark mornings.

Do radio-controlled clocks change automatically?

Usually, yes. The WWVB radio signal from NIST tells the clock whether daylight saving time or standard time is in effect, so the clock should switch on the day of the change. If it shows the wrong time afterward, check that it has received the signal recently and that its time zone is set correctly (NIST).

Is daylight saving time going away?

Not under current federal law. The law sets the dates, and a state may opt out only by staying on standard time all year (15 U.S.C. § 260a). Hawaii and most of Arizona do that (NIST). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine calls for permanent standard time in the US (Rishi et al., 2024).

Sources

  1. Brown, T. M., et al. (2022). Recommendations for daytime, evening, and nighttime indoor light exposure to best support physiology, sleep, and wakefulness in healthy adults. PLOS Biology 20(3): e3001571.
  2. Rishi, M. A., et al. (2024). Permanent standard time is the optimal choice for health and safety: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 20(1): 121–125.
  3. 15 U.S.C. § 260a – Advancement of time or changeover dates. U.S. Government Publishing Office (accessed 6 October 2026).
  4. GOV.UK. When do the clocks change? (accessed 6 October 2026).
  5. NIST. Daylight Saving Time (DST) (accessed 6 October 2026).

Last reviewed: October 2026