Whenever I’m thinking about daylight savings time versus standard time, I always have to remember the adage my mother taught me: spring forward or fall back.
That being said, I know the clocks move forward in spring and go back an hour in fall. However, into which measure of time? Is daylight savings time the one in the spring or the fall? Same for you?
Also, since first writing this article, I’ve learned that, technically, it is daylight saving (singular) time. As in it is saving some time in daylight — or at least that’s my take on why it is singular (saving) and not plural (savings). From here forward I’ve fixed that spelling.
When is Daylight Saving Time
Turns out daylight saving time is the one in the spring.
Daylight saving time always starts on the second Sunday in March. When was the time change in 2026? It was Sunday, March 8. When will it be in 2027? Sunday, March 14.
Time changes throughout the year
Currently, most of us in the United States are affected by time changes in November and March. However, it wasn’t always that way.
It used to be that the year was divided roughly evenly between daylight saving time (in the warmer months) and daylight standard time (fall into winter). However, in 2007 that all changed.
That’s when daylight saving time — the spring forward movement — moved up a full month to early March. It used to be in early April.
At the same time, the fall back part was moved to later in the year. Rather than happening right around Halloween, we had our clocks fall back around the first full week of November. So, trick or treaters nationwide rejoiced that they would “get” an extra hour of daylight for collecting candy.
You know who didn’t rejoice? Runners in the New York City marathon. Since time changes always happen overnight between Saturday and Sunday, this time change seems to line up with the running of the New York City marathon in early November.
When Does Standard Time Resume?
Once our clocks fall back, then we are back in Standard Time. So EST for us in Maine or Eastern Standard Time. Since it’s right after Halloween, it’s usually the first full weekend in November. In 2026, that date is Sunday, November 1. In 2027, it will be Sunday, November 7th since Halloween in 2027 falls on Sunday, October 31st.
What time of night do the clocks change?
The time change — whether for daylight saving time or standard time — always happens overnight between Saturday and Sunday. Technically, it is early, very early, on Sunday morning.
So, at 2 a.m. on the Sunday of the time change, that’s when the clocks either spring forward or fall back.
Fun fact: if you work in an online environment like I do, check your Google Analytics for the day the time changes. Your analytics will look all out of whack! It is almost like time doesn’t exist for that hour you lose or gain.
Benefit of daylight saving and standard time
When legislators debated playing around with daylight saving time or standard time, it was always in the realm of conserving energy. That is, if it stays lighter out longer, people wouldn’t have to turn on the lights at home and use energy. I mean, eventually you would have to turn on the lights. But if you could work at home by daylight for longer, that was seen as beneficial.
I always thought that farmers were the ones who lobbied for time changes. However, the more I’ve read up on the topic, the more I’ve learned that this is an old wives’ tale — or, old farmers’ tale, as the case may be. According to this AgAmerica article, farmers still hate it.
“What it actually does is disrupt a farmer’s carefully orchestrated schedule. For instance, if dairy cows are used to being milked at 5:00 a.m., moving the clock back an hour in the fall actually moves their milking time back an hour, and livestock cannot understand waiting another hour to be milked. Then, just as the cows get used to it, the milking schedule gets changed again in the spring.”
Effects of daylight saving time and other time changes
As a dog owner, my dogs feel the same as the cows but with regards to meal times. They don’t care what time it says on the clock. They’re used to getting breakfast at one time and dinner at another. When the time changes, their stomachs still “growl” at the old time. It’s especially annoying in the fall when meal time inevitably gets moved up a full hour.
I’ve always likened time change with travel across time zones. When you travel from the East Coast to the West Coast or even the U.S. to Europe, you’re jumping a bunch of time zones. It can take you days to acclimate to those new time zones. It’s the same with time changes at home. A recent survey found these stats:
- 62% of respondents said they feel the effects of the time change for at least a week
- 51% said the time change makes them tired for a few days
Daylight Saving Time in Maine
For years, Maine legislators have been trying to end the seasons of “falling back” and “springing forward” for Mainers. The most recent attempt to make Maine exempt from daylight saving time was in March 2023 and again in November 2023.
Currently, it is paused. Had it gone through, however, it would mean that Maine would stay on standard time all year, and we would never have to change our clocks. With the rise of smartphones and smart devices, the hassle of physically changing the time on our clocks is often limited to microwaves and kitchen ovens. Nonetheless, I would love to get rid of the tradition altogether.
You know what other states have already done this? Arizona and Hawaii.
If you’re a fan of the TV show “The West Wing,” you know that there used to be some Indiana counties that did not observe Daylight Saving Time, which confused the characters from the show who were stuck in Indiana when they lost track of time. Now Indiana does observe daylight saving time.
What can really trip people up when visiting Indiana is this: much of Indiana is in Eastern Time. However, 12 counties on the western side of the state are in Central Time. So cross into one of these counties without realizing it, and you’ve gone “back” in time one hour.
Free and Cheap Things To Do in Southern Maine This Week
Here are FREE and cheap things to do in Southern Maine in the coming week.
I have not bothered at all with standard time since 2007. I keep my clocks on year round day light time. This whole fall back spring forward nonsense has been outdated for 90 plus years. I refuse to do this. I found a way to change the time zone on my cell phone. Works perfectly for me. My parents hated this when I was growing up. I get to work one hour earlier and leave one hour early than everyone else in the winter. Society needs to get rid of this. Heart attack Monday don’t apply to me.
Love this approach!
Thank you. Society needs to stand to to change this
It’s “Daylight Saving Time” .
Singular not plural
So it is. Thank you.
I think it should clock’s should go up if they want it to stay at one time. Because it stay lighter and the people enjoy it being more light than getting dark early.
Changing times is ridiculous!! Children standing and waiting for a bus in the dark in the winter is very dangerous now a days. Stop doing it!! No one is benefitting from it.
I do not believe in changing clicks. Let’s stop daylight savings time NOW
Lighter longer is better and when u do use your lights at 8 or 9 at night your going to bed early anyway cause of work the next day so u wouldn’t be using that much power anyway more daylight is better