Daylight Savings Time Begins
Daylight saving time commenced on March 8, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time, resulting in a loss of one hour of sleep for most regions in the United States. This annual adjustment is designed to make better use of daylight during the longer days of spring and summer.
In Boston, prior to the time change, the sun rose at 6:09 a.m. and set at 5:41 p.m. on March 7, 2026. After the clocks moved forward, the sunrise occurred at 7:08 a.m. and sunset shifted to 6:42 p.m. on March 8, 2026, extending evening daylight for residents.
Daylight saving time will be observed for a total of 238 days in 2026, concluding at 2 a.m. on November 1, 2026. Notably, Hawaii and Arizona do not participate in this time change, with the exception of the Navajo Nation in Arizona.
The practice of daylight saving time was first adopted in the United States in 1918 as a measure to conserve fuel during World War I. Since 2007, the time change has consistently occurred on the second Sunday of March, a shift from the previous schedule that began on the first Sunday of April.
Historically, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 designated the start date as the last Sunday of April before it was revised in 1987. An experiment with year-round daylight saving time took place in 1974 during the energy crisis, but it was not sustained.
Daylight saving time has been a source of debate, with experts arguing it disrupts sleep and creates confusion over clock changes. Observers continue to discuss its effectiveness and necessity in modern society.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding any future changes to the observance of daylight saving time, as discussions about its relevance and impact persist among policymakers and the public alike.
