Time change: this weekend, should you move your watch forward or back ?

© Unsplash/CHUTTERSNAP

The time change in France is an event that has takes place twice a year and which often raises the same question: “Do we sleep one hour more or one hour less? less ?”.

As we approach the passage to the&#8217 ;winter time which is scheduled for the night of Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 October 2024, we remind you that the watches and clocks will have to be set back one hour. So, at 3am, it will actually be 2am, which will give you an extra hour of sleep. If you wake up at the same time as usual, you will appreciate the fact that it is a little less dark! Good news for those who have a smartphone or a smartwatch: the time change is done automatically by default.

An extra hour of sleep

This time change system was introduced in France following the oil crisis of 1973-1974 and its initial objective was to save energy. By synchronizing the amount of sunshine with human activities, it made it possible to reduce the consumption of electricity produced mainly by oil at the time. Since 1998, the dates have been harmonized across Europe. However, energy consumption patterns have evolved since the 70s and 80s and this system is becoming increasingly controversial.

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Criticism of the time change primarily concerns its current energy inefficiency and its negative impacts on health. Indeed, there are studies that have shown that this practice can lead to sleep disturbances, mood disorders and even an increase in cardiovascular accidents. Children and the elderly are relatively vulnerable to these changes because their biological rhythm is stricter.

In 2018, the European Commission launched a public consultation which revealed that 84% of respondents were in favour of eliminating the time change. Following this, MEPs voted for its abolition in March 2019. However, the implementation of this decision was delayed, in particular due to the Covid-19 crisis, and it is no longer on the agenda.

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