Here’s how fast SC will gain sunlight after daylight savings starts soon
South Carolinians will soon lose an hour of sleep, but they’ll at least get more sunlight out of the deal.
Daylight saving time is set to begin on Sunday, March 9, requiring most Americans to set their clocks forward one hour. Daylight saving time last ended on Nov. 3, 2024.
The longstanding tradition of moving clocks ahead or back one hour each year has been a struggle for many sleep-deprived Americans for decades. However, the time change brings with it the promise of longer days. Here’s how fast South Carolina will gain sunlight in the coming days and weeks.
Sunset gains in SC after time change
According to timeanddate.com, South Carolina will already be enjoying 11 hours and 45 minutes of daylight on Sunday — the day of the time change. From there, each day will gain about 2 minutes and 6 seconds of sunlight during March.
So between the time change and the end of March, the state will gain an additional hour and 20 minutes of sunlight, for a total of over 12 hours and 31 minutes for the month.
Day length gains continue but start to slow a bit in April, with South Carolina having a total of about 13 hours and 31 minutes of daylight by the end of the month.
South Carolina will see far fewer daylight gains in May, but will still reach 14 hours of total daylight by May 18.
Daylight gains will slow even more until they peak on the summer solstice on June 20, with the state boasting a total of about 14 hours and 25 minutes of daylight.
Daytime will slowly start to shrink from there as South Carolina again inches back toward winter.
Why does daylight increase so much in March?
March has the fastest gains in daylight of any month the closer we get to and pass the spring equinox on March 20, which is when the sun crosses the celestial equator and the northern hemisphere tilts more often toward the sun. The northern and southern hemispheres receive about the same amount of sunlight on the spring equinox. After the equinox, the northern hemisphere moves into spring and summer.
Daylight saving prep tips
Here are five tips the Farmers’ Almanac suggests people try to stave off daylight saving fatigue.
Good bedtime habits
In the days after the time change, stop drinking caffeinated beverages 4 to 6 hours before bedtime. Avoid alcohol in the evening. Also, if you exercise, avoid workouts within 4 hours bedtime. Working out raises your body temperature temporarily, which can make it harder to fall asleep.
Get consistent sleep
Get at least 7 hours of sleep on the days before and after the time change. The closer you stick to your normal routine, the faster your body will adjust.
If you really have trouble with the time changes, consider gradually adjusting your sleep and wake times a few days in advance by shifting bedtime 15 to 20 minutes each night. This could help your body slowly adjust.
Keep dinnertime consistent and eat more protein
On the days around the time change, eat at the same time or even a little early. Try to shift your mealtime forward 15 minutes for a few days in a row to help ease the transition.
Also, try not to overeat and if you do feel like having a snack, choose one high in protein instead of carbohydrates.
Take a short nap
If you’re starting to stack up sleepless hours, it could be beneficial to take a short nap during the day instead of continuing without any sleep. Try not to take naps longer than 20 minutes though.
Get more sunlight
Go outside and expose yourself to morning sunlight on Sunday to help regulate your internal clock. Having shorter daylight hours can impact our mood and energy levels, decreasing serotonin.
Try to take some time out of your morning or early afternoon for a walk outside while the sun is out.
This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
