Five years ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic, it seemed that in Poland and throughout the European Union we would end changing our clocks twice a year. Legislative work was close to finalization. But to no avail. We still have summer time for part of the year and winter time for part of the year. And you have to change the clocks twice. Is it already next weekend?
Although such operations have been going on for almost half a century, few people remember the specific dates of switching from one time to another, let alone whether we sleep an hour more or less. So what will it be like now that we have to say goodbye to summer time and switch to winter time?
Change from summer to winter time 2024: is it already now?
We change the time twice a year. Winter time applies for half the year, and summer time applies for half the year.
Professionally we should say that:
- Winter time is simply Central European time.
- Summer time is Central European summer time.
Now in Poland we still change the time twice a year, because we have summer time and winter time. On the last Sunday of March, after five months of winter time, we set our clocks forward one hour, from 2:00 to 3:00. As a result, we sleep an hour less, but it is bright longer in the evening. This is how we switch from winter to summer time.
Seven months later (that’s how long summer time is in effect), on the last Sunday in October we turn our clocks back from 3:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., thus switching back to winter time.
The so-called Winter time is valid from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March. It is worth adding that in the past, until the mid-1990s, we changed the clocks from summer to winter time on the last Sunday of September.
Exactly on the night of October 26-27, 2024, i.e. from Saturday to Sunday, we will change the clocks from 3 to 2 o’clock. This means that we will sleep an hour longer and when we wake up in the morning it will be brighter, but the day will become much shorter.
Change from summer to winter time 2024: when will the clocks stop changing
The confusion over changes to winter and summer time has been going on in Poland for almost half a century – and continuously since 1983.
However, there is still a chance that another year in this decade or perhaps a little later will go down in history, just like 1983 – this time as the year from which Poland will definitely give up the time change.
We, Poles, are exceptionally determined and consistent compared to other EU countries. In a survey conducted by the European Commission just before the pandemic as much as 95 percent Poles were in favor of eliminating time changes (the highest number in Europe).
The regulations regarding time changes in Poland are regulated by the regulation of the Prime Minister. When we change the time from summer to winter, we move the clocks back by one hour (from 3:00 to 2:00). We then sleep an hour longer. Unfortunately, people working on this night also have to take into account extended shifts.
Continuation of the material below the video
Change from summer to winter time 2024: what are the effects of changing the clocks
Originally, it was believed that changing time from summer to winter time – and vice versa – would bring economic benefits to the economy. And on a macro scale: the state budget and the enterprise. And on a micro scale – the household.
However, no profit and loss balance was ever actually made. Because apart from the illusory benefits of shifting time, there are huge costs associated with it. Including uncountable ones related to organizational life and, for example, health (adaptation of the human body to changes in time).
As we know, most Poles are quite reluctant to change the time. Consultations conducted among Poles show that almost 80 percent of them would prefer not to change their clocks.
Although changing the time may have some advantages, the disadvantages are more often noticed. The main ones include:
- increased chance of falling into depression
- dysregulation of the biological clock
- irritability
- problems with concentration
- impact on our health – the day after changing the clocks, there is a higher likelihood of a heart attack reducing the productivity of employees who are accustomed to working at different hours.
