When To Turn Clocks Back As Daylight Saving Time Ends

ACROSS AMERICA — In just a few hours, daylight saving time — or daylight savings time, as it's more commonly called — will come to an end in the United States, a full week later than it ended last year.

When daylight saving time ends, clocks get turned back one hour. While clocks officially “fall back” from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, most of us will need to remember to set the clocks back before we go to bed Saturday night.

Once you do, you're in for a treat. Most will get a full extra hour of sleep — that is unless you're the parent of a small child or have a puppy on a schedule. Neither tends to adjust quite as easily as their adult or human companions. For the next week or so, you also might make it to bed early for a change.

You should also prepare yourself for less sunlight once those clocks go back. Here's one example: On Nov. 7, the sun will set at 4:45 p.m. ET in New York City.

The days will continue to get shorter as we move toward the winter solstice on Dec. 21, which is also the shortest day of the year.

Clocks aren't the only things you should check before you go to bed Saturday or as soon as you get up Sunday. It's also a good time to test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, as well as inspect the devices' expiration dates and batteries.

You should also check the clocks on your thermostat, microwave, stove and car stereo. Our cell phone clocks will update automatically.

So when will days get long again? Not until March 13, 2022, when daylight saving time begins again.