Did you remember to set your clocks back last night?  Daylight Savings Time came to an end at 2:00am Sunday morning.

The ritual of changing our clocks twice a year can be met with some resistance as some people struggle to adjust their body’s internal clock.  Others actually like the return to standard time as they get to enjoy an extra hour of sleep.

The time change definitely has big effects on how early it gets dark in the evening.  On Saturday, sunset was at 5:54pm but on Sunday the sun will disappear over the horizon at 4:53pm.  For many this means that when they get home from work it will now be dark and outdoor activities will be significantly curtailed as a result.

• Related: Sunrise, sunset, moon phases and seasons

It won’t be all that long though before Daylight Savings Time returns.  On March 11, 2012 we will ‘spring forward.’

Some of the recent history of Daylight Savings Time (from Wikipedia):

Daylight saving time in the United States was first observed in 1918. Most areas of the United States currently observe daylight saving time, with the exceptions being the states of Arizona and Hawaii along with the territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

From 1987 to 2006, daylight saving time in the United States began on the first Sunday of April and ended on the last Sunday of October. The time was adjusted at 2:00 AM (0200) local time (as it still is done now).

Since 2007, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November, with all time changes taking place at 2:00 AM (0200) local time. In 2011, daylight saving time began on March 13 and will end on November 6.

Daylight Savings Time Schedule