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On Sunday, 29 March, the clocks will jump forward by one hour. For most people, that means one hour less sleep — and, in the days that follow, noticeably longer evenings.
Twice a year, this ritual returns. And although politicians have debated abolishing it for decades, the clock still skips an hour every spring.
Originally introduced during the First World War to save energy, seasonal clock changes resurfaced in the 1970s amid global energy crises. Today, however, researchers warn that the spring shift may cost us more than it saves.
How Does the Time Change Affect the Body?
Losing just one hour may sound trivial. Yet experts say the body experiences it far more intensely than we assume.
That missing hour disrupts our circadian rhythm — the internal 24‑hour clock that regulates sleep, alertness, hormone production, and mood.
“Most people adjust within a week. But some struggle significantly. For them, the internal clock can take weeks, even months, to adapt to just a one‑hour shift,”
says Jeffrey Kelu, a postdoctoral researcher in circadian rhythms at King’s College London.
Genetics play a major role in how flexible our internal clocks are, and scientists still don’t fully understand why some people adapt easily while others don’t.
The spring transition doesn’t just make us groggy. Studies link it to short‑term increases in traffic accidents, heart attacks, and depressive episodes.
More Light in the Evening — A Blessing or a Burden?
Many people welcome the spring change because daylight stretches further into the evening. But Kelu cautions that late‑day light exposure can backfire.
Light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals the body to wind down.
“Evening light delays melatonin release. That pushes sleep onset later and makes it harder for many people to fall asleep,”
Kelu explains.
A darkened bedroom, he adds, can help the body recognize that it’s time to rest.
When circadian rhythms are stable, the internal clock aligns smoothly with the 24‑hour day, sending clear signals for essential bodily functions. People with strong rhythms often maintain regular sleep and activity patterns even when work schedules or seasons shift.
But when the internal clock is repeatedly disrupted — through irregular sleep, late‑night light exposure, jet lag, shift work, or inconsistent meal times — the risks rise. Research links circadian misalignment to obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. More recent studies even suggest a connection between weak circadian rhythms and dementia.
If the Clock Change Disappears — Which Time Should Stay?
For years, European policymakers have tried to abolish seasonal time changes. In 2018, after a public consultation, the European Commission proposed ending them altogether. Of the 4.5 million participants, 84 percent supported abolishing the switch. Only Cyprus and Greece showed a slim majority in favor of keeping the current system.
Yet EU member states failed to agree on which time should become permanent, and the proposal stalled.
If the change were finally scrapped, one question would remain: Should we keep standard time or summer time?
“We, researchers advocate for staying on standard time — winter time,”
says Kelu.
Permanent summer time would mean that, for much of the year, people would start their day in darkness.
“Morning light is crucial,” he emphasizes. “Most of us spend our days indoors under artificial light.”
Artificial light can help synchronize the internal clock, but it is far weaker than natural daylight. In winter, when days are already short, losing morning light would be especially harmful.
“We shouldn’t take away the little natural light we get,”
Kelu warns.
A Small Shift With Big Consequences
The spring clock change may feel like a minor inconvenience, but its effects ripple through sleep, mood, and overall health. As research continues to illuminate the importance of circadian rhythms, the debate over seasonal time changes is likely to intensify.
Until then, millions will once again wake up on Sunday slightly more tired — and step into evenings that feel just a little brighter.
- Hector Pascua with reference from euronews.de/picture: pixabay.com
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