Daylight saving time ends soon in Kansas. When to set your clock back an hour

It’s that time of year again, Wichita. November is here, and with it, an end to daylight saving time.

Sunset time in Wichita will be 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, according to online clock timeanddate.com, but will be 5:29 p.m. the next day due to clocks getting set back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2.

Daylight saving time was made a legal requirement by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. State governments are allowed to exempt themselves from the practice, but cannot change time zones or the length of daylight saving time.

Many states have tried to end the time change, including Kansas, and Hawaii and most of Arizona do not practice clock-changing.

One example of Kansas lawmakers trying to end the act is Senate Bill 1, introduced in January to keep the state on permanent daylight saving time. The bill was referred to the Committee on Federal and State Affairs in March but didn’t move before the legislature adjourned until 2026. This state bill is similar to some pieces of federal legislation, specifically the “Sunshine Protection Act” the U.S. Senate signed off on in 2022.

Preparing for the time change

Just because you may be getting an extra hour of sleep, doesn’t mean you’ll feel well rested the next day.

In fact, studies show the time change could negatively affect peoples’ bodies. To avoid side effects, experts recommend avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime, sleeping seven to nine hours a night and napping in moderation.

Here’s a look at sunset times around Wichita following the end of daylight saving, from timeanddate.com:

• Monday, Nov. 10 the sun will set at 5:21 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 27, which is Thanksgiving, the sun will set at 5:11 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 1 the sun will set at 5:10 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 15 the sun will set at 5:11 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 24, which is Christmas Eve, the sun will set at 5:16 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 25, which is Christmas, the sun will set at 5:16 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 31, which is New Year’s Eve, the sun will set at 5:20 p.m.

Lindsay Smith

The Wichita Eagle

Lindsay Smith is a suburban news reporter for the Wichita Eagle, covering the communities of Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Haysville and Kechi. She has been on The Eagle staff since 2022 and was the service journalism reporter for three years. She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Wichita State, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sunflower, for two years. You can reach her via email at lsmith@wichitaeagle.com.