In Europe, the change to daylight saving time follows European Directive 2000/84/EC and occurs twice a year.
- Sunday 29 October 2023. Daylight saving time ends on the last Sunday in October. During this change, the hands of the clock are moved back one hour to 03:00 am, which becomes 02:00 am. Therefore, you will sleep an extra hour during that night.
- Sunday, 31 March 2024. Daylight saving time begins on the last Sunday in March. During this change, the hands of the clock are moved forward one hour to 02:00 am, which becomes 03:00 am. Thus, you will sleep one hour less during that night.
In practice, during the change at the beginning of daylight saving time, you sleep an hour less, but during the change at the end of daylight saving time, you sleep an hour more. These changes are made to make better use of daylight during the summer, reducing energy consumption and promoting energy savings.
Therefore, the total number of hours of sleep remains the same throughout the year, but during the days of daylight saving time changes, you can feel the effect on your sleep routine. Some people may require a short period of adaptation to the new time.
When you have to change the time on a wall clock for daylight saving time, it is important to follow some precautions to do it correctly and keep the clock mechanism in good condition. Here are some tips:
- Stop the clock: before making any changes, be sure to stop the clock. You can do this by removing the battery or disconnecting the clock mechanism if you can.
- Consult the manual: if your watch has an instruction manual, read it carefully to find out how to set the time. Each wall clock may have a different mechanism.
- Handle with care: when adjusting the watch, do so very gently. Avoid forcing or turning the elements of the mechanism with too much force.
- Do not touch the hands: adjustment is not done by forcing the hands but by using the adjusters on the back of the mechanism.
- Set the correct time: during the changeover to daylight saving time or the return to standard time, make sure to move the watch hands to the correct time according to official directives. Generally, during the changeover to daylight saving time, you should move your hands forward by one hour.
- Rule with precision: make sure that your watch shows the correct time. You can do this by observing a reliable clock as a reference.
- Restart: after adjusting the time, restart the clock and monitor it for a short time to ensure that it is working properly.
- Remember the time change: During the transition to daylight saving time and when returning to standard time, remember to adjust the clock appropriately to avoid having the wrong time.
If you feel unsure about adjusting your wall clock yourself, it is always a good idea to ask a watchmaking professional for help. These experts can ensure that the clock is adjusted correctly without damaging the inner mechanism.
To avoid having to manually adjust the time on the wall clock twice a year for the daylight saving time change, purchasing a clock with a radio-controlled mechanism is definitely an option to consider. Radio-controlled clocks receive signals from a dedicated radio station that transmits the exact time, ensuring that the clock is always aligned to the correct time, including daylight saving time changes.
