When is the time change in Florida? Daylight saving time ends soon, here’s what to know

It's almost that time in the fall when we "fall back" and get an extra hour of sleep (or exercise, or TV binging, or time spent remembering how to adjust the clock on your microwave). Daylight saving time ends soon, and here's everything you need to know.

When is the time change in Florida? When do the clocks change?

In 2023, daylight saving time ends in Florida at 2 a.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, the first Sunday after Halloween, or at 2 a.m. CST in the western part of the Panhandle, which is in a different time zone.

Here's a countdown clock to the end of daylight saving time 2023.

What is daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time is the practice of moving clocks forward an hour in the warmer months to better align what we count as the evening with more natural sunlight, according to the Almanac.com, and then back an hour in the fall to get more sunlight in the summer mornings.

To remember which way to set our clocks, we use the expression "spring forward, fall back." It often feels as if we are losing an hour in the spring, and getting it back in the fall.

Why do we observe daylight saving time?

Originally it was because Great Britain needed to conserve coal for heating homes during World War I, the Almanac said. In 1916 British Summer Time was introduced, followed by the United States' Standard Time Act in 1918 which also established the country's time zones.

Was daylight saving time created to help farmers?

Nope! Farmers hated it and were (and are) some of the strongest opponents against daylight saving time, as it put the morning chores into darkness. Lobbyists from dairy farmers finally ended daylight saving time in 1920 and we went without changing our clocks for 21 years, until the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 that put us into WWII. Once again, daylight saving time was enacted to save fuel.

After the war ended in 1945, different states continued to use daylight saving time, but they weren't consistent with the days they picked to start and end it. As this created a lot of confusion for bus and train service, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966 to establish a definitive daylight saving time period: set clocks ahead an hour on the last Sunday in April and back on the last Sunday in October. In 1986 this was increased and moved forward to start on the first Sunday in April to save oil.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 established the current timing for daylight saving time, which begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

How long does it take for my body and sleep patterns to adjust to the change in time?

About a week, experts say. You can make it easier by adjusting your bedtime and morning alarm a little bit every morning for a few days ahead of time, and by getting outside or in sunlight as soon as possible on Sunday morning to jumpstart your body into reacting to the new schedule. Here are some more tips to help update your body's circadian rhythm.

If you have young children, you may want to start adjusting their schedule now.

When does daylight saving time begin and end?

Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November.

Is it daylight saving time or daylight savings time?

It's daylight saving time, or DST. It's commonly referred to as daylight savings time, but it should be singular as "saving" is part of the adjective.

Will my devices turn their clocks back automatically?

If your device is connected to the internet, to a cell service provider, or has an internal correction built in, it will set itself back an hour at 2 a.m. on Nov. 5.

Smartphones, mobile devices, Fitbits, Alexa, your TV, your Apple Watch should all reset themselves. Battery or key-driven clocks, microwaves and ovens (unless you have smart appliances), older vehicle clocks and other non-connected timepieces must be changed manually.

Daylight saving time is also a good time to change your smoke alarm batteries.

Did Florida get rid of daylight saving time? What happened to the Sunshine Protection Act?

Florida lawmakers introduced a bill in 2021 that would extend daylight saving time permanently from eight months of the year to the full year. The Sunshine Protection Act, proposed as a federal law, was OK'd by the U.S. Senate earlier this year but has not received approval from the U.S. House of Representatives or President Biden so we'll still be falling back this year.

Daylight saving: US Senate OK'd Sunshine Protection Act. Florida to still fall back, for now

Which countries or states don't have daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time is a hotly contested topic. As of September 2023, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, almost 30 states have considered or are considering 76 pieces of legislation related to keeping daylight saving time year-round.

Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not recognize daylight savings time. Neither does U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Marianas.

Hawaii doesn't because, being close to the equator, its hours of daylight don't change that much. Arizona doesn't follow daylight saving time but the Navajo Nation, which spans Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, does.

Most of the world — 176 countries, including Japan, India, and China — don't observe daylight saving time at all. 70 countries do, although the dates and times can differ.

Does daylight saving time work the same in Australia?

Yes, but at opposite times. During our fall it's spring in Australia, and they started their daylight saving time by moving their clocks forward an hour the first Sunday in October.

When will daylight saving time happen in 2024?

Daylight saving time will begin again at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 10, 2024, and end on Sunday, Nov. 3.

Contributors: Lianna Norman, Anthony Roberts, USA TODAY NETWORK

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daylight savings time ends Nov,. 5. Tips, tricks and history to know