Many people were eager to find out whether the clocks changed—or if they lost an hour of sleep—after daylight saving time began early Sunday in 2026. The time shift took effect across most parts of the United States as daylight saving time officially started.
At 2 a.m. local time on March 8, clocks moved forward to 3 a.m., meaning people effectively lost one hour of sleep. As a result, searches such as “did time change,” “did the clocks change today,” “when did time change in 2026,” and “was daylight saving time today” surged as people checked the correct time and sunrise schedule following the transition.
This annual clock change takes place on the second Sunday in March, when clocks are set forward by one hour.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time shifts the clock forward by one hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.
For example, the day before the time change, sunrise in Boston was at 6:09 a.m. and sunset at 5:41 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. After the adjustment on Sunday, sunrise occurs at 7:08 a.m., while sunset is later at 6:42 p.m., providing more daylight in the evening.
Which states do not observe daylight saving time?
Only two states do not observe daylight saving time: Hawaii and most of Arizona. The exception in Arizona is the Navajo Nation, located in the northeastern part of the state, which does observe the time change.
Several U.S. territories also do not adjust their clocks. These include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
When did daylight saving time begin in March 2026?
In 2026, daylight saving time began on Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m. local time.
Since 2007, the start date has been set as the second Sunday in March, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the official time source for the Department of Defense.
Before 2007, daylight saving time began on the first Sunday in April for about two decades. Earlier still, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 set the start date as the last Sunday in April.
During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress experimented with year-round daylight saving time, beginning on the first Sunday of January in 1974, according to the Congressional Research Service. However, the experiment was short-lived. The country returned to standard time in October and then resumed daylight saving time on the last Sunday of February in 1975. After that year, the start date reverted to April.
Did we lose or gain an hour in March?
Most of the United States lost one hour when daylight saving time began. At 2 a.m. on Sunday, clocks moved forward to 3 a.m., effectively shortening the night by one hour.
