It’s time again to change the clock to summer time. Photo: Better Bed.
It’s that time again: the clock will be changed again on the night of Saturday, March 30, 2024 to Sunday, March 31, 2024. Why are we doing this again and should it go forward or backward? What blunders are made by forgetting to change the clock? Sleep advisor Sanne van Better Bed tells you all about it.
When do we change the clock?
In Belgium and the Netherlands the clock is changed twice a year. On March 31, 2024 we will switch to summer time and on October 27, 2024 we will switch to winter time. This happens at a time when we are least affected by it, namely early Sunday morning between 2:00 and 3:00 am. In the spring, on the last Sunday of March, we all switch to summer time. In the autumn, on the last Sunday of October, normal time, also called winter time, begins. So we have a total of 7 months of summer time and 5 months of winter time. This clock system is now valid in many countries of the European Union.
Handy mnemonic: in the spring the clocks go forward one hour, in the autumn they go back.
We introduced a third option in 2019: change the clock once by half an hour.
Why do we change the clock?
By using a special summer time, we have more daylight. In the middle of summer the sun rises very early, at a time when we are still sleeping. It would of course be a shame if we could not fully enjoy the sunlight during this period. By setting it forward, you actually get up an hour earlier. In the evening it seems light longer and you can therefore go outside in the light for longer.
The idea of changing the clock was first introduced in 1916. Partly due to the rise of factories, we wanted to make more efficient use of our natural source of energy and save energy. The idea did not immediately prove popular everywhere and was abolished in 1945.
In 1973 the oil crisis broke out and thinking about energy-saving measures increased again. Daylight saving time was reintroduced in 1977.
Also read: This is how summer time and winter time came into being
From Saturday to Sunday the clocks go forward one hour. Photo: Henk Voermans
Clock changing blunders
The examples below show that changing the clock also has disadvantages.
- You arrive an hour late and everyone is already at work. Although… it is of course the perfect excuse for missing the first period.
- You thought you were doing it right by carefully switching off your smartphone the night before. Nothing would happen to you! If it weren’t for the fact that the time is automatically changed on most phones, this would also be the case on yours. So that’s double. Aw…
Tips not to forget!
Changing the clock disrupts our day and night rhythm for a while. Your daily rhythm is shifted by an hour and not everyone can handle that well.
Your biological clock can be quite upset by changing the clock. Compare it to having mild jet lag. Be patient, within a few days your inner clock will also be correct again.
Some devices, such as thermostats, state-of-the-art ovens, alarm clocks, computers and watches, change the time themselves. So check in advance which of your devices this applies to. And oh yes, don’t forget your smartphone.
