Get ready for an extra hour of sleep. Here’s when daylight saving time ends in KY
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Daylight saving time ends in Kentucky at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025.
- Recent legislation to end or modify DST in Kentucky failed to advance.
- Health studies link DST transitions with sleep loss and increased heart attack risk.
Kentuckians will soon need to set their clocks back one hour for the end of daylight saving time at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2.
Despite more than half of Americans ready to do away with daylight saving, the practice persists, mainly due to its historical staying power and stalled federal legislation to end it. There’s also mounting evidence the time change is bad for our health.
The federal legislation that established daylight saving time as we know it allows states to opt-out by passing their own laws, so what about Kentucky? Here’s where the practice stands in Kentucky and why it exists to begin with.
Why does the US have daylight saving time in the first place?
Daylight saving time was first introduced in 1918 with the Standard Time Act when the U.S. was fighting World War I, as reported by USA TODAY. The measure was intended to cut down on fuel costs and was inspired by European countries that adopted similar policies. Newspapers at the time reported substantial savings in coal consumption as a result of the change.
After World War I, Congress abolished summer daylight saving time at the federal level, though it remained a local option. Some states continued to observe it. During World War II and during the 1973 oil embargo by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, year-round daylight saving returned temporarily.
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 created a system of daylight saving time throughout the country. Under that law, states may choose to exempt themselves by passing their own laws, but they don’t have the authority to permanently adopt it. The act was later amended into what we know as daylight saving time today: beginning the second Sunday in March and ending the first Sunday in November.
Today, most of Arizona and all of Hawaii opt out of the practice, along with the American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Has Kentucky tried to end daylight saving time?
Yes, several Kentucky lawmakers have tried to end daylight saving time in recent years, though their efforts have not been successful.
The most recent attempt came earlier this year with the introduction of House Bill 308. The legislation would have made Kentucky exempt from daylight saving time and require it to observe standard time, starting Oct. 31, 2025. The measure failed to advance out of its committee, however. Its main sponsor, Republican State Rep. Steven Doan previously introduced similar legislation, which also failed to advance in the state legislature.
A separate effort in 2023, backed by several state lawmakers, would have established year-round daylight saving time, but that measure also died in committee.
Federal legislation is also in play. The Sunshine Protection Act, which has been introduced in Congress several times — including in 2025 — has yet to become law.
Does the extra hour of sleep mean I’ll sleep better?
It’s not likely for many, given several studies have examined the twice-annual turning of the clock and found several negative impacts on health.
A 2013 study found data from the spring and fall transition suggesting a cumulative effect of sleep loss.
Another 2013 study looked at the incidence of heart attacks with transitions to and from daylight saving time, finding some evidence the shifts lead to temporary increases and decreases in the rate of those attacks. A subsequent study in 2015 found men and people who’ve previously had a heart attack could have an increased risk for one during daylight saving.
In 2020, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommended ceasing the practice altogether, stating, “current evidence best supports the adoption of year-round standard time, which aligns best with human circadian biology and provides distinct benefits for public health and safety.”
To avoid losing sleep during transitions, experts recommend the following tips:
- Keep a sleep routine and aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. The night before, go to bed one hour earlier.
- Get outside. Morning light can help preserve your body’s natural circadian rhythm, even on cloudy days. During daylight saving, spend as much time outside as you can. Don’t look at your phone in the morning; take in the light. This pairs well with the next tip.
- Get some exercise. Activity raises your body’s temperature and promotes wakefulness to reset your internal clock.
- Avoid sleep disruptors before bed, such as caffeine, alcohol and blue light exposure from screens.
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