Get ready for some early sunsets. At 2 a.m. tonight, U.S. clocks will move one hour backward, as Daylight Saving Time officially ends. Folks in Hawaii and much of Arizona can ignore the fuss — they never moved their clocks forward, back in the spring.
The time-switch can also serve as a reminder to check batteries in smoke detectors and fire alarms, as many fire departments advise. And if you ride a bike or walk on streets after dusk, it's a good time to be sure you're visible to drivers.
If the change tends to throw your sleep schedule out of whack, here's a quick rundown of sleep advice that's been featured on NPR:
- How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
- How Aging Changes Sleep Patterns
- Want To Be A Morning Person? Take A Few Tips From Campers
And if you find yourself waking up after only half a night's sleep, this 2012 BBC article might keep you from stressing out about it: The myth of the eight-hour sleep.
The one-hour shift means that many workers will spend much of their commute in the dark in the coming weeks. The government of Raleigh, N.C., says that poses a hazard, particularly as autumn also brings mating season for wildlife.
Saying that "car crashes with deer greatly increase at this time of year," the city cites a North Carolina transportation department finding that "nearly half of the more than 61,000 animal-related crashes occur during the months of October, November and December."
For a look at the nuances of Daylight Saving Time, see our post from March.
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