Daylight Saving Time No More: Clocks Fall Back

Get ready for some early sunsets. At 2 a.m. Sunday morning, U.S. clocks moved one hour backward, officially ending Daylight Saving Time. 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.