Clock Changing In Illinois: Here’s When We Turn Them Back An Hour

Maybe it only seems this way to me, but every time you see a piece about changing our clocks back an hour when fall rolls around, you’ll also see a photo of an old-timey alarm clock with the bells on top sitting out in a pile of leaves in a forest or woods someplace.

The photo above is exactly what I’m talking about.

It’s like we all decide at some point during the summer to throw our clocks out into the wilderness, then, a few months later, remember what we’ve done and go pick the clock up out of the pile of leaves and bring it back inside until it’s time to spring our clocks forward.

Maybe I’m reading a bit too much into the clock-changing imagery.

Everyone Really Seems To Want To Stop Changing Clocks Twice A Year, And We Also Really Seem To Want The Powers-That-Decide-These-Things To Just Pick One Time And Stick To It.

Despite all the talk about doing away with clock-changing twice a year in the United States, lawmakers in this state and throughout the country just can’t seem to get their act together and get rid of something that a majority of Illinoisans want to see go away once and for all.

There have been several efforts at making a change, but they’ve all failed and left us with no choice but to keep rolling with this spring forward/fall back cycle we’re currently trapped in.

In 2022, The U.S. Senate Took A Vote And Unanimously Passed A Bill That Would Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

So why has nothing changed? Well, for one, this was done by voice-vote, and has not been taken up by the House of Representatives. Also, the current administration has not actually articulated a stance on the topic to begin with.

Then there’s the problem of picking the wrong method of time-keeping to begin with. After the vote in favor of permanent Daylight Saving Time, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine issued a statement that praised the idea of eliminating time changes, but lamented the fact that the Senate chose the wrong one to keep around:

The AASM position statement also indicates that “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.” The statement was endorsed by more than 20 medical, scientific, and civic organizations, including the American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, National PTA, National Safety Council, Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, and World Sleep Society.

While Everyone Works That Problem Out (Hopefully Within Our Lifetimes), Here’s When Illinoisans Should Turn Those Clocks Back

I wanted to give you a little heads-up time now, so you won’t find yourself scrambling later to change your clocks because you keep showing up early to everything.

Before 2005, clocks were to be turned forward on the first Sunday in April, then turned back again on the last Sunday in October.

Now, we “spring ahead” on the second Sunday in March, and “fall back” on the first Sunday in November. So, on Saturday November 2nd, turn your clocks back an hour before you call it a night so you’ll be all set when the time change happens at 2am on Sunday, November 3rd.