Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. Sunday, causing clocks across the United States to roll back by one hour.
This system aims to maximize daylight usage in the Northern Hemisphere by adding an hour of sunlight to the workday during the warmer months. First established in the U.S. in 1918, daylight saving time begins annually on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. The end of this period aligns with the shortening of daylight hours leading up to the Dec. 21 winter solstice.
This shift will bring earlier sunrises and sunsets, and students may notice disruptions to their sleep rhythms. Experts recommend making gradual schedule shifts to avoid symptoms of jetlag, which can disrupt mental wellbeing and academic performance.
Daylight saving time is controversial due to evidence that the schedule changes can cause physical and mental consequences. Evidence has also pointed to a negative impact on Indiana’s energy usage and pollution output, and some IU professors have advocated for its removal. In 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would eliminate the time shift permanently, but this legislation remains held up in the House of Representatives.
