Californians will see brighter evenings as clocks “spring forward” and Daylight Saving Time arrives this weekend — costing us an hour of extra sleep but bringing more daylight after work, school and the daily grind.
In the early-morning hours on March 8, we’ll lose an hour of sleep, jumping from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. Here’s what to know.
When does daylight saving time start?
Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m., Sunday, March 8.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time is the time between March and November when most Americans adjust their clocks ahead by one hour.
According to timeanddate.com, “daylight saving time is the practice of setting the clocks one hour ahead of standard time to make use of more sunlight in the spring, summer and fall evenings. Daylight saving time (DST) is used to save energy and make better use of daylight. It was first used in 1908 in Thunder Bay, Canada.”
Daylight saving time became a national standard in 1966, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, which was enacted to conserve energy. The thinking was that if it’s light out longer, you’ll need less time to use lights in your home.
Did Daylight Saving Time start because of farmers?
No, according to almanac.com.
“Many Americans wrongly point to farmers as the driving force behind Daylight Saving Time. In fact, farmers were its strongest opponents and, as a group, stubbornly resisted the change from the beginning,” Catherine Boeckmann wrote for almanac.com.
“When the war ended, the farmers and working-class people who had held their tongues began speaking out. They demanded an end to Daylight Saving Time, claiming it benefited only office workers and the leisure class. The controversy spotlighted the growing gap between rural and urban dwellers.”
When does daylight saving time end?
Daylight saving time ends for the year on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Some tips for coping with the time change
To minimize the impact of the time change on your body, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests the following:
Some other tips for adjusting to the time change from Northwestern Medicine include:
Is daylight saving time ending?
As of March 2026, daylight saving time is still in effect. Congress needs to approve, and the president needs to sign, a law for a state to stay permanently on daylight saving time.
Despite repeated attempts over the years, that still hasn’t happened.
Countdown to start of daylight saving time 2026
What time is it in California?
The entire state of California is in the Pacific Time Zone, also known as Pacific Standard Time. Visit timeanddate.com to see the current time in any city in the state.
Which states don’t observe daylight saving time?
Arizona and Hawaii do not recognize DST. The Navajo Nation is the lone exception in Arizona.
The territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands also do not participate.
Which countries observe daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time is used in more than 70 countries worldwide and affects more than a billion people each year. The beginning and end dates vary from one country to another.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Does daylight saving time start this weekend in California? What to know
Reporting by Samantha Neely, Cheryl McCloud and Daniella Segura, USA TODAY NETWORK / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
