Daylight Savings Time ends on Nov. 2: When will the sun set in Harwich?
It is somewhat delicious to be awarded an extra hour of sleep on Sunday, November 2nd, when clocks transition from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. And for a short while, it seems like you’ve got a little extra time in your pocket to get things done during the day.
But the slightly shocking reality sets in when the sun begins to sink as you’re finishing lunch. Well, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but how does a 4:33 p.m. sunset on November 2nd grab you? And that gets whittled down to a preposterous 4:09 p.m. by the time we dance into December.
Daylight Savings Time ends on November 2, so sunsets will be arriving noticeably earlier.
This makes it very tricky to sneak out of work a little early and take a quick hike on a fabulous Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) trail, a rather unfortunate state of affairs.
However, there is a yin to every yang in this beautiful world. Early risers, the can-do crew among us, will see the sun rise earlier once the clocks are tweaked. Sunrise is slated for 7:12 a.m. on November 1st in Harwich this year, and rolls back to 6:13 a.m. on November 2nd.
This is a grand opportunity to spring into action when the roosters are crowing, down a hot coffee and visit an HCT property for an invigorating walk to start your day. We suggest checking out the new mile-long All Persons Trail at the Hinckleys Pond — Herring River Preserve, which just reopened after a successful eco-restoration project.
Should we get rid of Daylight Savings Time?
You might think that most folks are in favor of Daylight Savings Time, perhaps even extending it year-round. That could lead us to sunsets well after 9 p.m. in June on Cape Cod, which does sound enticing.
But a 2025 Gallup poll found that “since 1999, public support for daylight saving time has plummeted across all demographic groups.” According to the poll, the majority of Americans (54 percent) “say they are ready to do away with the practice. By contrast, 40 percent of U.S. adults say they are in favor of daylight savings time.”
Take advantage of earlier sunrises with a walk at the recently reopened Hinckleys Pond — Herring River Headwaters Preserve and see the beautiful results of an eco-restoration project.
And you may wonder how we ended up with a system that requires us to change the clocks twice a year. Ticking off the full history of time tweaks over the centuries would likely lull you to sleep, but we’ll include this brief history from the Council of State Governments that provides a bit of insight:
“The United States has been tinkering with time since the Standard Time Act of 1918 established standard time zones and Daylight Savings Time (DST). While DST was initially enacted as a way to conserve energy, the Department of Energy in 2008 found the effects to be minimal. The Department of Transportation reported in 1974 that potential benefits to traffic safety and crime reduction were also minimal.”
Sleep experts weigh in
At this point, you may be yawning, so we simply must add in the all-important connection between time and sleep. In 2024, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) released an updated position statement saying that based on a growing body of evidence, “daylight saving time should be replaced by permanent standard time.”
Dr. James A. Rowley, president of the AASM, laid out the reasoning. “Permanent standard time helps synchronize the body clock with the rising and setting of the sun,” he said. “This natural synchrony is optimal for healthy sleep, and sleep is essential for health, mood, performance, and safety.”
No matter how you measure it, the simple fact remains: because of the earth’s tilt, we are losing daylight until we bump into the Winter Solstice on December 21st. But we feel confident that the extended HCT family is up to the challenge, ready to face Standard Time and diminished light with vigor and good cheer.
Let’s make the most of our time this season: sign up for an illuminating HCT walk or event, or visit an HCT property for a great hike. Enjoying the beauty of nature is a great way to beat the clock!
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