Switching to winter time in 2023: Clocks will change again in October

class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>

In the evening it gets dark early again. It will now be five months before we can stay outside for long periods of time on bright evenings again. Now you can make yourself comfortable on the couch in the evenings with a cup of tea or cocoa and a warm blanket without feeling guilty. In Switzerland, daylight saving time ends on the night between October 28th and October 29th.

Since when has there been a time change in Switzerland?

Switzerland implemented the time change in 1981 to comply with neighboring countries. Many European countries introduced summer time a few years ago to save energy through better use of daylight. Switzerland had previously rejected the change in a referendum.

However, experts doubt its benefits: Although people turn on the lights less in the evenings in summer, they get warmer in the morning hours in spring and autumn.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) is responsible for the time change. It operates several atomic clocks in its laboratories and distributes the official Swiss time derived from the Universal Time Coordinate (UTC).

Twilight can be dangerous

Caution is advised when it comes to traffic: Every year, the Swiss Transport Club (VCS) warns that early twilight, as well as unstable weather conditions, can negatively affect the visibility of road users. To prevent accidents, VCS advises pedestrians and cyclists to wear high-visibility clothing and even reflective strips. Bicycles must also have a white front light, red rear light and reflectors front and rear.

Change challenges the body

Difficulty falling asleep and fatigue: Even the slightest turn of the clock can strain your body. First, the internal clock must adapt to change, and this requires energy. For this reason, many people feel tired and sluggish during the transition. This is especially evident when a clock suddenly disappears, i.e. when it changes to daylight saving time.

When did the transition to summer time in 2023 occur?

This year, as usual, we turned the clock back again. In Central Europe, daylight saving time begins on the last Sunday of March. This means: On the night connecting March 25 to March 26, 2023, the time was set from 02.00 to 03.00 in the morning. an hour before. On the last Sunday of October, the clocks go back again.

This practice was harmonized among European Union countries in 1998. The transition to summer time will take place for the last time in March 2021. The debate about the need to change the clock has been going on for several years, but the decision is still open to this day. The European Commission lists the positive reasons for the end of the time change as follows: The time change has negative effects on health, traffic accidents increase and energy savings decrease due to the time change. The end of the time change still remains unclear.

How will I remember that the time has changed?

If you have trouble remembering when the clocks go forward and backward, you can use various mnemonics like these:

• In the spring, you put the garden furniture in front of the door. In the fall you put them back in the shed.
• 2-3-2 rule (based on RS-232 computer interface): In the spring, the time is set from 2 o’clock to 3 o’clock. From 3 a.m. to 2 a.m. in the fall.
• Temperatures are negative in winter and positive in summer.
• When the weather warms up again in the spring, time becomes longer and the clock moves forward. When the weather gets cold again in autumn, time gets shorter and the clock turns back.
• For all English speakers: Jump forward, step back!
• And it’s really stupid: In the summer, the clock goes forward – both with an “o”.

But in fact, you no longer need to remember reminders: almost all clocks in modern homes change themselves, whether it is a smartphone, a radio alarm clock or a DAB radio. There’s only one thing left that’s challenging: the oven timer.

Source : Blick