When do we ‘fall back’ in Miami? What to know about changing the time, and what happens

Daylight saving time, which began in March, ends in November. That means it will be light earlier in the morning but darker earlier in the evening in South Florida.

Which do you prefer?

Here’s what to know about the change:

Changes day and night

Time change: Clocks turn back an hour 2 a.m. Nov. 3.

School and work: When the clocks fall back an hour, it’ll be lighter earlier in the morning and darker earlier in the evening.. That means kids and commuters who get an early start will no longer be doing so in the dark. But it also means that workers who get home at 6 p.m. and students who have after-school activities into the evening will be getting home in the dark.

Sunrise and sunset: When we move the clocks back, sunrise in Miami will be at 6:31 a.m. and sunset will be at 5:38 p.m.

Pro tip: Your phone and computer will do it automatically, but turn your other clocks back an hour, including the oven and microwave, wristwatch and decorative pieces, before going to sleep on Saturday night, Nov. 2.

How your sleep is affected

Loss and gain: Whether you love or hate the time change, we all have one thing in common: We’ll get back an hour’s sleep this time around. But we’ll lose that extra hour of shut-eye again when we spring ahead next spring.

Why do we tinker with the clock twice a year?

Saving energy: Daylight saving time is all about a desire to save energy by extending sunlight later in the day during spring and summer. A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy found that the four-week extension of daylight saving time in 2008 saved about 0.5% of the nation’s electricity per day, or 1.3 trillion watt-hours —which is enough to power 100,000 households for an entire year.

Safety: Studies have also shown that the extra hour of daylight has resulted in safer roads, lower crime rates and economic benefits.

Opposition: Critics, however, say more dark mornings could lead to grogginess for commuters and parents who drive their children to school, especially in the winter months.

Disruptions: Other concerns about daylight saving time included disruptions to harvesting schedules for farmers, interference with religious observances based on solar and lunar time, and potential delays in reworking computer systems programmed to switch twice a year.