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This Sunday, November 2, both Cuba and most of the United States will observe their usual time change to transition to standard time.
In Cuba, the switch to winter time will take place at midnight from Saturday, November 1 to Sunday, November 2.
According to official information, at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, clocks should be set back one hour, so they will return to marking 11:00 p.m. on Saturday.
The last time change in Cuba occurred on March 9, 2025, when daylight saving time was adopted. Eight months later, the country returns to standard time without any significant improvement in the energy situation.
United States: Between Routine and Political Debate
Also on Sunday, November 2, at 2:00 a.m., the United States will end Daylight Saving Time and will switch to standard winter time, as established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
At 2:00 a.m., the clocks will need to be set back one hour to show 1:00 a.m., which provides an extra hour of sleep for those who wake up early.
It is an automatic change in most modern electronic devices, but it still requires manual adjustment in analog watches and other devices not connected to the internet.
This adjustment also involves a change in natural light cycles: it will dawn earlier, but it will also get dark earlier, affecting the daily routines of workers, students, and entire families. On the day of the change, in practice, it will last 25 hours.
Florida: Caught between Congress and the sun
In states like Florida, the time change occurs despite efforts to abolish the biannual shifts. In 2018, the state passed the "Sunshine Protection Act," aiming to remain permanently on daylight saving time.
However, this measure requires a modification at the federal level – specifically, to the Uniform Time Act of 1966 – which depends on the U.S. Congress.
So far, that debate remains stalled in Washington, leaving Floridians subject to changing the clocks twice a year.
Exceptions: Not everyone changes the time in the U.S.
Although the transition applies to most of the country, there are areas that do not adopt the change.
They are: Hawaii; most of Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation); Puerto Rico; Guam; American Samoa; the Northern Mariana Islands; and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
These places remain on standard time year-round, as the energy savings do not outweigh the negative effects of changing the clock.
An unresolved debate: Is it worth it?
Since its implementation in 1918, daylight saving time has been surrounded by controversy. While it was introduced as a measure to save energy, modern studies question its effectiveness. Furthermore, it has been shown that the adjustment can increase the risk of traffic accidents, disrupt sleep, and affect mental health.
Experts suggest preparing for the change by making gradual adjustments to sleep schedules, limiting screen time before bed, and getting exposure to morning sunlight to minimize the impact.
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