Goodbye to winter time: when will the first time change be in 2025?

BarcelonaEvery year we change the clock twice: in spring we move it forward and in autumn we move it back. In theory, the aim is to match economic activity with daylight hours and thus save energy. However, in practice many sectors question this change, arguing that the savings would be non-existent or minimal and, on the other hand, periodically modifying our biological clock could entail health risks.

In any case, in 2025, the first time change will be on the night of March 29-30 and will mean that we sleep one hour less: when the clock strikes 2, it will be 3.

What does this time change entail?

Although spring will begin on March 20, the time change always takes place on the last weekend of the month, and jointly in all European countries. From that moment on, the sun will rise and set later. Specifically, it will rise at about 8:30 in the morning and set at about 9 in the evening. This means that there will be more daylight hours in the afternoon, a good time for outdoor activities.

Adapting to the time change

To better adapt to the time change, experts recommend gradually adjusting sleep schedules in the days leading up to it, doing regular physical exercise and exposing yourself to natural light during the day. It is also advisable to avoid caffeine and alcohol consumption, and exposure to screens before going to bed.

Is the time change an obsolete norm?

For years, there has been a study on whether it is better to change early or maintain The debate, in fact, reached the European institutions, which held a consultation in which 84% of citizens voted in favour of eliminating the time change. But, due to discrepancies between the Member States, in 2019 the European Parliament postponed the decision, and in 2025 it has still not been postponed. What is delaying the elimination of the time change? Since the announcement of the modification, the measure has had great defenders, but also many detractors.

In 2019, each of the countries of the European Union created its technical commission with the aim of deciding the position they should take. But everything advanced was left on paper in 2020, coinciding with the pandemic. Since then, the project has been kept in a drawer.

The proposals for time reform

In Catalonia, the project for time reform, which was supposed to allow timetables to be moved forward, compacted and regularised to favour rest and conciliation, was stalled during the pandemic. The advisory board of this initiative advocated maintaining winter time to avoid starting work in the dark, which harms the synchronisation of the circadian clock.

In 2022, at a conference held in Barcelona, a group of experts presented a proposal to eliminate time changes throughout Europe. After preparing a report, the professionals determined that the best solution was to maintain winter time throughout the year. On the other hand, they determined that the western countries - including Spain and France - should permanently set the time back and share a time zone with the United Kingdom and Portugal.

In addition, the Spanish government created a group of experts to determine the pros and cons of maintaining or changing the time. However, the conclusions were not unanimous: some considered that the time changes should be maintained, others were in favour of establishing winter time as permanent, and finally, a small group believed that summer time should be introduced, arguing that winter time would have a negative impact on tourism.