The time change in France is a ritual that takes place twice a year which still raises so many questions, particularly about the gain or loss of an hour of sleep. The next changeover to winter time is scheduled for tonight, between Saturday October 26 and Sunday October 27, and it will provide an extra hour of sleep.
In other words, at 3 a.m., clocks will go back one hour to show 2 hours. This means that if you wake up at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, it will be 9:00 a.m. in the old time. In short, you will have gained an hour of sleep. You will sleep in and it will therefore be an hour less than you thought!
A 50-year-old practice
This practice was established in France following the oil crisis of 1973-1974, around 50 years ago. She aimed initially to save energy by better aligning human activities with natural light. The objective was to reduce electricity consumption (mainly produced from oil at the time) and reduce the bill for the taxpayer. Since 1998, time changes have been harmonized at European level to facilitate trade.
With the evolution of energy consumption patterns since the 70s and 80s, the effectiveness of this system is increasingly questioned – and many politicians want to put an end to this time change system. Criticisms focus on its current energy inefficiency but also on its potential harmful effects on health. Studies have shown that these time changes can disrupt sleep, affect mood and even increase the risk of cardiovascular accidents.
Faced with these questions, the European Commission launched a public consultation in 2018 which revealed that 84% of participants were in favor of abandoning the time change. As a result, MEPs voted in March 2019 for its removal. The implementation of this decision was delayed in particular due to the pandemic. Today, the debate has taken a back seat.
And you, what are your feelings about the time change? Answer us in comments!
