Winter time change: now is the time to think about it!

Beware of the time change! Now is the time to think about the switch to winter time.

Every 6 months, France, like all countries in the European Union, makes a switch to be more in line with the light of the day. The 2024 winter time change is the next one. Scheduled for the last weekend of October, it is fast approaching. It will result in a one-hour step back in time and you will have to remember to set your alarm clocks, watches, or household appliances which will not do it automatically, unlike your smartphone.

If we “gain” an hour of sleep and if winter time is the closest to the so-called “solar” or “natural” time (France goes from GMT+2 to GMT+1), many specialists agree that this time change in the middle of autumn disrupts our biological rhythm just as much as that of summer.

To avoid too sudden an upheaval, it is advisable to prepare in advance to anticipate and not suffer the change to winter time. By taking action now, everything will go much better and the change will be easier to live with. Gentle adaptation is particularly recommended by several doctors and “chronobiologists” for young children, the elderly, or those suffering from sleep disorders.

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To help our biological clock adapt, it is indeed preferable to adjust our bedtimes and waking times early and gradually. Starting well in advance of the time change date is a first step and it is therefore from this middle of the week that we must think about it. We advise you to set your alarm 15 minutes later and to go to bed the night before accordingly. Gradually move on to Saturday from 15 minutes to 25 minutes then to 45 minutes and of course one hour later on Sunday when the time changes.

You can do the same for meal times. It is also recommended to limit stimulants in the days preceding this time change in order to optimize your sleep. Coffee, tea, sodas, alcohol are Avoid screens after 4pm, at least two hours before bedtime. You should also take advantage of the light while there is still time, go out as soon as you can and exercise to tire yourself out a little.

For the rest, the rule does not change: the time change takes place every last weekend of October, so on the night of October 26 to 27. At 3am, we'll jump back 2 hours. An advantage for some: this time change falls right in the middle of the All Saints' Day holidays. But be careful afterwards too! On Sunday morning, don't hang around in bed too long, otherwise the shock on Monday will be terrible. Go out and see the light of day. And if you feel tired in the days that follow, you can resort to short naps, as long as they are short (between 10 and 20 minutes) and before 3 p.m.