Spring is inching closer, and with it comes that annual shift most of us dread or secretly love — daylight saving time.
In 2026, DST returns earlier than many people expect, meaning soon it will be time to reset those clocks and prepare for longer evenings.
This year, clocks in most parts of the U.S. will shift forward an hour on Sunday, March 8 at 2 a.m., which will become 3 a.m.
The change itself takes only a second but the effects linger for weeks.
Sunsets will stretch later into the evening, morning commutes may feel darker at first and daily routines will need a small reset.
Why do we still ‘spring ahead’ for DST?
The idea behind DST is simple: shift daylight into the evening hours when people are more active.
The practice has been used in the United States for more than half-century and was standardized nationally with the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
But not every state participates.
Hawaii and Arizona — except the Navajo Nation — do not observe DST, keeping the same clocks year-round.
For everyone else, the spring time change is an annual ritual — loved by some, tolerated by others and debated almost every year.
DST will end Nov. 1.