On the night from Saturday to Sunday, October 28, 2018, the EU countries will synchronously move the clocks back an hour. This will most likely be the last time they do this. Based on the results of the referendum, the European Commission decided that from 2019 the clock will no longer be changed.
Last clock change
- Who came up with this?
- Health effects
- Situation in Europe
By April 2019, each EU country must decide whether it will remain on winter or summer time. There are fears that the picture of time zones in the European Union will change chaotically. On the other hand, it can, on the contrary, be harmonized if neighboring countries come to an agreement with each other.
Who came up with this?
At the Earth's equator, the length of day and night remains the same all year round: 12 hours each. There are no problems with sleep disturbances, energy conservation, and so on. In winter, sunrise and sunset occur at almost the same time as in summer. Unfortunately, this is not the case at other latitudes. Due to the tilt of the earth's axis at 23.44°, the solstices and equinoxes occur at different times of the year. In other words, in the northern hemisphere, summer days are longer than winter days.
Sunrise and sunset times throughout the year with and without daylight saving time, time in Greenwich (UK). Data from Daylight Chart program
This is where the idea of changing the clock hands to daylight saving time was born. The idea belongs to New Zealand entomologist and amateur astronomer George Hudson. In 1895, he submitted a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society proposing a two-hour clock shift to "preserve daylight." The article was published in 1898.
The idea was noticed in England, where its main promoter was the aristocrat and businessman William Willett. In 1907, with his own money, he published and circulated the pamphlet “The Waste of Daylight.” According to his proposal, the clocks should be moved every Sunday in April by 20 minutes at 2 a.m. (a total of 80 minutes in April), and on Sundays in September they should be moved in the opposite direction according to the same scheme. This will save England £2.5 million in lighting costs.
Purely scientific ideas from “nerds” rarely attract the attention of influential political circles. But in this case it happened. William Willett's golf club acquaintance, MP William Pearse, may have introduced the idea to the British Parliament on 12 February 1908, but it was never adopted, although Willett promoted it until his death in 1915.
The first to officially introduce daylight saving time were the German Empire and its ally Austria-Hungary during the First World War in order to save coal during wartime. This significant event took place on April 30, 1916.
Great Britain and the allies immediately followed the example of the enemy. Russia and several other countries waited until the following year, and the United States introduced daylight saving time in 1918.
First daylight saving time change in Ohio, USA
After the war, most countries abandoned changing clocks, but with the outbreak of World War II it began to be used almost everywhere again.
Several countries have abolished daylight saving time in recent years, including Russia and Belarus in 2011. But in Russia, the reform led to public complaints about darkness in the morning, so daylight saving time was returned in 2014. The switches were canceled in Argentina, Canada, Kazakhstan, Iceland, Turkey and other countries. Now it’s the turn of the European Union.
Health effects
Scientific research shows conflicting results regarding the health effects of clock shifting. Depending on a person's place of residence and lifestyle, moving the needles can provide the body with more daylight, which increases the production of vitamin D. There is a study that suggests the benefits of shifting the hands for those suffering from depression.
On the other hand, moving the needle increases the risk of heart attack by 10%, disrupts sleep and reduces its effectiveness. Human biorhythms become confused and adjust to a new schedule within a few weeks (1, 2). Research shows that in the weeks following the spring switch, suicide rates among men increase.
Sleep disturbances are the main negative consequence of changing the clocks, which is why some doctors now recommend abandoning DST (daylight saving time). In many countries, debates on this topic have continued for decades.
Energy savings are generally called a myth: studies have shown that lighting costs remain virtually unchanged as a result of changing clocks. Switching to LED bulbs and “smart” sensors provides an order of magnitude greater savings.
Situation in Europe
In Europe, universal daylight saving time was introduced in 1996: all countries synchronously moved their clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday in March and an hour back on the last Sunday in October. This rule is now being cancelled. Tweet from European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc:
The transport industry traditionally suffers the most from switches and the need to change schedules, so Violeta’s joy is understandable. She hopes that the European Parliament and national governments will quickly coordinate their actions, and calls for "consultations at national level to ensure a coordinated approach for all EU members."
Time zones in the European Union
By April 2019, each EU country must decide whether it will remain on winter or summer time.
The European Commission's decision is based on the results of an online survey in which 4.6 million European residents took part. It is curious that 3 million of them represented Germany, that is, the representativeness of the survey is rather dubious.
However, 80% of respondents voted to abolish daylight saving time. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on ZDF: “The people want it, so we will do it.” Chancellor Angela Merkel also agreed that this was a “very important issue.” published
If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project.
In Ukraine it occurs on the last Sunday of October. To find out when to change the clocks to winter in Ukraine in 2019, just look at the calendar.
The last Sunday of October 2019 falls on the 27th. This means that on the night of October 26 to 27, 2019 There is a transition to winter in Ukraine. The clock needs to be set back an hour.
Where and when to change the clock to winter time in Ukraine
Clock hands are usually set back an hour in the evening in advance. And all modern gadgets, which correctly indicate the country of location, independently switch to night.
Many people have trouble remembering where to set the clocks for winter time. It will be easier to deal with this if you remember that in the fall we move the clock hands back: in the fall - back, in the spring - forward.
Thanks to the transition to winter time, it gets light earlier in the morning and gets dark faster in the evening. Switching to winter time gives us the opportunity to sleep an hour longer in the morning.
How does the switch to winter time affect your health?
Scientists claim that changing the clock causes stress in the body due to the fact that the circadian rhythm is disrupted, and a person gets a mini version of jet lag, although he has not gone anywhere and has not changed the time zone.
Studies also say that in the first days after changing clocks, the risk of heart attacks increases by 10%.
Some people require at least three weeks of adaptation to get used to the new time. To make the transition to winter time 2019 less painful for you, follow a few simple rules:
- three days before changing the clocks to winter time, try to go to bed no later than 22:00-23:00;
- give up coffee and strong black tea at least for a while;
- try to go out before bed for an hour’s walk in the fresh air;
- In the meantime, ventilate your home.
Now you know when the clocks in Ukraine change to winter time in 2019 and what you need to do to make this transfer painless.
Perhaps the transition to winter time will be canceled soon, but for now everything remains as it is. In 2018, we will switch from summer time to winter time again on October 28th. What do we know about this?
Rules for changing clocks to winter time
To switch to winter time, you need to change the clocks on the last Sunday in October from 3.00 to 2.00. Therefore, this hour from 2.00 to 3.00 exists as if twice. In 2018, this will happen on October 28.
Should I change the clock myself?
If you own a clock radio, you don't have to worry. The Federal Institute of Physics and Technology in Braunschweig sends an up-to-date time signal to all radio clocks. The clocks in smartphones and personal computers also change themselves if this function is activated. You must translate all analog clocks yourself.
Sentences for changing clocks
If you need to set the clock, but you don’t remember, forward or backward, the following maxims will help you.
Always set your clocks to be closer to summer: in the spring one hour forward, and in the fall - back.
Rule 2-3-2: In the spring we move from 2 to 3 o’clock, and in the fall from 3 to 2.
“Changing the clock is like a thermometer”: in spring it’s plus, and in winter it’s minus.
Story
The idea of changing clocks from summer to winter time appeared back in 1973 - as a consequence of the oil crisis. People were convinced that thanks to the change to winter time, they would be able to use daylight more efficiently and save energy.
Canceling daylight saving time? EU is discussing
There is a lot of discussion about the transition to winter time in 2018. In mid-August, the EU conducted a large survey and concluded that 84 percent of participants supported the abolition of winter time. Most people want daylight saving time to remain.
Summer and winter time - for what?
Ever since the introduction of winter time, people have doubted the need for such a transition. The Federal Office for the Environment has found that, thanks to daylight saving time, it is indeed possible to save electric light in the evenings, but in the morning more energy is spent on heating the home - and if you do the math, then energy costs do not decrease, but, on the contrary, increase.
Even doctors are critical of the transition to winter time: they argue that such changes have a bad effect on the human body. Our body must adapt to different times. This affects people with sleep disorders most of all. On average, a person needs 14 days to completely get used to the new regime.
Change to winter time has a bad effect even on the operation of the railway. When switching to summer time, trains must leave much earlier than usual to avoid delays. Passengers also suffer: on the day before the clock changes, many problems arise with transport connections, and not only within the country.
Night trains are usually long-distance trains, and drivers have to adjust to the time in the countries where the train is heading. For example, when switching to winter time, the train is forced to stand for an hour at the station so as not to arrive at the final station too early.
Switching to winter time: when to change the clocks updated: August 13, 2019 by: Natalia Dyachenko
Every last Sunday of March in many countries of the world people switch to “summer” time, i.e. they move their clocks forward one hour division. But already on the last Sunday of October, people switch to “winter” time again. Then they return the hands of their watches to their original position (back one hour).
Why do the clocks change?
This is done for several reasons. Firstly, in order to lengthen daylight hours, and also to combine the resulting result with administrative time. Secondly, it saves energy and resources. According to some data, such savings amount to almost 2% of energy consumption in one year. It is worth noting that the reliability of this fact remains in question. Thirdly, the reason for changing the clock is a certain restructuring of human biological rhythms.
As shown, the third reason worries many Russian citizens most acutely. After all, the body’s biorhythms are changes in the nature and intensity of certain biological processes and phenomena that are repeated periodically. Doctors generally say that human biorhythms of physiological functions are so accurate that they can safely be called a “biological clock.” One can imagine the discomfort some people who live only in “winter” time have recently experienced.
Why did they stop changing clocks in Russia?
For a long time, every year before the next shooting, messages appeared in various information sources about the benefits and harms of these biorhythm adjustments for people. In addition, they found that the energy savings caused by changing the clocks are so small and negligible that they are not worth it. In the end, the State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a bill according to which Russia remained in “summer” time.
The reaction to the time law was not long in coming. This caused a whole storm of negative emotions and indignation among specialists at various levels. Under the new law, the entire country is now an hour ahead. In addition, some Russian regions generally do this two hours in advance. In simple terms, noon in some cities actually occurs at 10 am.
Since then, numerous attempts have been made to switch to “winter” time. For example, in 2012, a bill was introduced into the State Duma, according to which the clock hands in Russia should be moved back an hour, i.e. for "winter" time. However, he did not pass. At the beginning of 2014, the media started talking about the fact that deputies were developing a bill on Russia’s transition to standard time. The president even promised to conduct a social survey and study the opinions of citizens throughout the country, after which he would bring the calculation of time into the required compliance. It is difficult to talk about any specific solutions in this area.
Since 2014, “winter” time has been in effect in Russia and there is no longer any need to move the clocks forward and back an hour every year. Nevertheless, the “temporary” issue remains relevant today, because statements about the return of “summer” time are heard every now and then from the lips of various officials.
First of all, entrepreneurs are interested in the transfer, who have calculated that in this way they can save up to 4 billion rubles due to more rational consumption of electricity. Given this, interest in the question will there be a return to summer time in Russia in 2018?, does not fade away.
Government officials say that there are no prerequisites for such a transition yet and, most likely, Russians will continue to live according to “winter” time. This decision is supported by doctors and scientists, according to whom, “summer” time disrupts a person’s daily rhythm and negatively affects health. Ordinary citizens also do not welcome the annual change of clocks, remembering the inconveniences and difficulties that it entailed.
A little history
In the USSR, the concepts of “summer” and “winter” time came from the West: the clock hands were first moved in England, then in Germany. For the first time, Russians were introduced to the transition to “summer” time in 1917.
This innovation was actively supported by economists, pointing to the savings in energy resources, but ordinary Russians did not like it. Citizens simply forgot to move the switches on time, which is why they were late for work and faced other troubles.
The transition to “summer” and “winter” time finally took root in 1981, according to a special decree of the USSR government. However, the Russians did not understand the feasibility of such a decision for a long time and could not get used to changing the clocks.
Further “temporary” experiments began already in 2011: according to the instructions of the then Dmitry Medvedev, the transition to “winter” time was canceled.
But this decision did not last long, which was largely influenced by medical research that proved that “summer” time does not coincide with the human circadian rhythm. Living in this mode, people got sick more often and felt worse. Because of this, in 2014, “winter” time was returned, and the Russians again began to prepare to move the hands back an hour. But in the same year, the authorities decided to abandon the transition again, but this time to stick to permanent “winter” time.
Considering that the government has changed its decisions several times and left the issue of switching to daylight saving time open, it is not surprising that citizens are still checking whether they need to change the switch.
Will summer time return to Russia in 2018?
The “temporary” changes of 2011-2014 created doubts in society about the stability of the authorities’ position on this issue. Interest in “summer” time was constantly “fueled” by bills that were supposed to return the annual change of clocks. But none of these initiatives were supported by the government, and in the media officials officially stated that “winter” time in the Russian Federation will remain the only one.
The switch continues to be championed by many in the economic sector, citing the rational use of daylight and potential resource savings. But this opinion is refuted by numerous studies, which prove that the savings are still less than the costs of reconfiguring equipment at enterprises, rearranging the public transport schedule and other expenses associated with switching switches.
The inappropriateness of returning “summer” time is confirmed by medical research. Doctors unanimously say that changing the clock creates an unnecessary shake-up for the body, as a result of which chronic diseases worsen, sleep patterns are disrupted, and attentiveness and concentration are dulled. The result is an increase in accident rates and, again, sick leave costs for enterprise employees.
Pros and cons of changing clocks
Many countries, including Russia, have already abandoned the transition to “summer” time, but opinions on this matter are still different. There are still many supporters of changing the clocks and their arguments are quite weighty. On the other side of the “barricades” there are no less people who consider the annual transition to “winter” and “summer” time unnecessary.
Many representatives of the energy sector considered the abolition of “summer” time too hasty and thoughtless. In their opinion, it is unreasonable to refuse the savings that come with changing clocks, especially today, when the whole world is talking about the need to rationally use energy resources. Energy workers were also outraged by the fact that the authorities made a decision without discussing this issue with them and without giving them the opportunity to prove their position.
Every year there are fewer and fewer adherents of “summer” time, but their number still includes people who, due to their work, are forced to often fly to countries where the clock change is still in effect. Previously, the hands were moved synchronously, and there was no confusion in flights and meeting times, but now you have to constantly take into account what time another state lives by.
Citizens who advocate the most efficient use of daylight hours also complain about the abolition of “summer” time. They believe that the reasons why the USSR decided to move the clocks are still relevant today, and that refusal to switch leads to waste.
It is noteworthy that there are studies that prove that moving the clock forward or back 60 minutes helps to “shake up” the body and switch it into activity mode.
Doctors remain the main opponents of “summer” time. They have repeatedly proven that the need to get up an hour earlier increases fatigue, knocking people out of their usual “rut.” Weather-sensitive citizens and those who have problems with the cardiovascular and nervous systems especially suffer from this.
According to doctors' research, in order to adapt to a new daily routine, a person needs 1-1.5 months, during which he feels worse and is more susceptible to various diseases. During this period, the risk of professional burnout and stress increases.
Interestingly, representatives of the same energy sector are often against the return of “summer” time. According to them, in the European part of the Russian Federation, the volume of energy consumption remains almost unchanged after the clock is changed, so there is no talk of significant savings. Moreover, additional funds have to be spent to reconfigure the equipment.
Even ordinary citizens do not want to return to “summer” time. Due to the clock change, many citizens not only felt worse, but also suffered significant inconvenience, being forced to “adjust” their work schedule to the new conditions.
Although there is still talk of a return to daylight saving time, such an outcome is unlikely. The government has long weighed all the pros and cons, and is in favor of permanent “winter” time. In addition, elections are scheduled in 2018, so it is unlikely that the authorities will want to make another controversial decision during this period, which could cause protests among citizens.
