The best daylight saving time sleep tips are simple: shift your bedtime by 15 to 20 minutes a day for a few days before the change, get morning light, and keep your wake-up time steady. In most of the US, clocks fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and spring forward on Sunday, March 14, 2027.
According to NIST, US daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. local time on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2 a.m. local time on the first Sunday of November. NIST lists 2026 as March 8 to November 1. Applying the same rule gives these dates:
Sunday, November 1, 2026: clocks fall back one hour. At 2 a.m. it becomes 1 a.m., so the day has an extra hour.
Sunday, March 14, 2027: clocks spring forward one hour. At 2 a.m. it becomes 3 a.m., so you lose an hour.
Sunday, November 7, 2027: clocks fall back again.
Not everyone changes. NIST says Hawaii, most of Arizona (the Navajo Indian Reservation does observe it), Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa do not observe daylight saving time. Congress is considering bills to end the twice-yearly switch, but for now the clocks still change on these dates.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) explains that light and darkness are the strongest cues for your body clock. A one-hour shift leaves your internal clock out of step with the new clock time for a while. The AASM says the spring change is linked with more traffic accidents in the first few days, and that teens and night shift workers are among those at greatest risk of sleep loss. The AASM supports ending seasonal clock changes in favor of permanent standard time.
The AASM suggests these steps for the fall change:
Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night before and after the change.
For a few nights before, shift your bedtime 15 to 20 minutes later each night, and move meals and exercise with it.
Set your clocks to the new time on Saturday evening and go to bed at your normal bedtime.
Wake up at the same time each day, including weekends.
Keep light low in the morning until your target wake time, then get outside for early morning light in the days after the change.
Avoid extra caffeine late in the day while your body adjusts.
One exception: if you are already short on sleep, the AASM says not to shift your bedtime later. Just enjoy the extra hour.
Example plan for November 1, 2026 (usual bedtime 10:30 pm, wake 6:30 am):
Wednesday: bed 10:45 pm, up 6:45 am
Thursday: bed 11:00 pm, up 7:00 am
Friday: bed 11:15 pm, up 7:15 am
Saturday: set clocks back in the evening, then go to bed at 10:30 pm new time
Sunday: wake at 6:30 am new time and get some morning light
The spring change is usually harder because you lose an hour. The AASM suggests:
Shift your bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night for a few nights before.
Move other routines, such as mealtimes, earlier to match.
Set your clocks ahead on Saturday evening and go to bed at your normal bedtime.
Get outside for sunlight on Sunday morning, and dim the lights in the evening.
Get plenty of sleep on Sunday night before the work week.
Example plan for March 14, 2027 (usual bedtime 10:30 pm, wake 6:30 am):
Wednesday: bed 10:15 pm, up 6:15 am
Thursday: bed 10:00 pm, up 6:00 am
Friday: bed 9:45 pm, up 5:45 am
Saturday: set clocks forward in the evening, then go to bed at 10:30 pm new time
Sunday: wake at 6:30 am new time and get outside for daylight
Take extra care driving in the first few days, especially if you feel drowsy.
Young children. A Stanford Medicine Children's Health sleep specialist says a gradual shift works for most families. Before the spring change, wake your child and put them to bed a bit earlier each day, for example in 15-minute steps. If you cannot shift gradually, avoid letting your child sleep in on the day of the change, and expect a few days to adjust. Blackout curtains help on light evenings, along with daylight during the day and a wind-down routine about an hour before bed. If sleep problems last several weeks after the change, talk to your pediatrician.
In the fall, the AASM notes that children may need extra time to adjust, so keep bedtime routines steady.
Teens. The AASM recommends at least 8 hours of sleep a night for teens around the time change.
Pets. If your dog or cat eats and goes out at set clock times, consider moving those times in the same small steps so the change is not sudden.
The AASM says that if you regularly have trouble sleeping or feel tired during the day, you should talk to your doctor. Also seek advice if poor sleep lasts for weeks after the change, if you snore loudly or gasp in your sleep, or if you feel sleepy while driving.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
The AASM says most people adjust to the fall change within a few days. Children may take a few days too.
You gain one. On November 1, 2026, 2 a.m. becomes 1 a.m., so that night has an extra hour.
Most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. NIST notes the Navajo Indian Reservation is the exception.
Not yet. Congress is considering bills that would make either standard time or daylight saving time permanent, but the twice-yearly change continues for now.
If you are moving your schedule in small steps around a time change, Sleepward: Bedtime Routine has "Your Hour", a protected block of personal time that ends before your chosen bedtime, plus an editable routine and an optional wake-up reminder. It is free to download with optional Pro purchases, and it has no accounts and no ads.
Get Sleepward free on the App Store
Daylight Saving Time (Sleep Education, American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
How to adjust when daylight saving time ends (Sleep Education, American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
Spring Forward Into Better Sleep (Stanford Medicine Children's Health)