Prepare to lose an hour of sleep as daylight saving time arrives this weekend.
Millions of people in the United States will “spring forward” on Sunday, March 8. As part of daylight saving time, clocks must be set forward one hour to make up for the time that was lost when we “jumped.”
There will be more light in the evening and less light in the morning, according to the Norwegian timezone website Time and Date.
Setting clocks forward was introduced in the United States to make better use of natural daylight and save energy, Time and Date reports. The nation has followed this “schedule” since 2007.
Here’s what to know as we “spring forward,” including what it means for you.
What does it mean to ‘spring forward’? Do we lose or gain an hour?
When we “spring forward,” we lose an hour, skipping ahead by 60 minutes. That day, sunrise and sunset will be about one hour later than the previous day, and there will be more light in the evening and less light in the morning.
Daylight saving time in the United States starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. In 2026, daylight saving time ends on Sunday, Nov. 1.
When does California ‘spring forward’?
Each time zone in the U.S. will “spring forward” at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8. People should set their clocks forward one hour, to 3 a.m., to account for the change.
Despite the differences in time zones—Eastern time being three hours ahead— all states in the U.S., except for two exceptions and territories will spring forward at 2 a.m.
California and the rest of the states that follow Pacific Standard Time will be some of the last to change their clocks, except for Alaska, which is one hour behind California.
How does daylight saving time impact your health?
The time change, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, could make daylight saving time difficult for some, disrupting sleep patterns for over 300 million people.
Researchers and medical professionals have said adjusting clocks twice a year can lead to increased risk of mood disturbances and hospital admissions, as well as potential car crashes.
Here are a few tips, courtesy of Time and Date, to combat difficulties during daylight saving time:
Do all US States observe daylight saving time?
No. Hawaii and most of Arizona, for instance, do not observe daylight saving time, though most states in the United States do.
Arizona doesn’t observe it because of the state’s desert climate. U.S. territories, such as American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, also do not observe daylight saving time.
The Navajo Nation, which spans parts of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, observes daylight saving time, as do 48 other states.
Will the U.S. abolish daylight saving time?
British Columbia, one of Canada’s largest provinces, is doing away with the bi-annual time changes, with the coming time change, the last time the region loses or gains an hour, USA TODAY reported.
The time came after 93% of the residents in a survey said they favored a permanent time change.
California, like Arizona, voted for a permanent time change in 2018 with Proposition 7, but it has yet to go forward, according to Cal Matters. Despite the proposition passing, a permanent change requires a two-thirds majority from both the state Assembly and Senate, the governor’s signature and federal approval
The proposition passed with nearly 60% support, and the rest of the nation is not far behind. A 2025 Gallup poll showed that about 54% of Americans wanted to get rid of daylight saving time changes.
Contributing: Emily Vetter, USA TODAY
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: When will California spring forward? What to know about DST
Reporting by Amaris Encinas, Saleen Martin and Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
