Time change: date 2022, when in winter?

Every year in France, the time changes twice a year: in winter and in summer. The change of time is subject to an official directive of the European Parliament. The purpose of this time change? Gain an hour of natural sunshine to save artificial energy in the evening (electricity).  This measure, highly contested, was to end in France but it still continues to apply. Around the world, around  60 countries apply  seasonal timetable changes. Countries have abandoned it such as Tunisia, Egypt, Russia, information about the time change and how to prepare for it and adapt to it with Dr. Catherine , the sleep doctor . 

Do we go forward or go back an hour?

This is always the big question! When we switch to summer time, we must advance the hands of our watch by one hour (a full revolution as in the image of the clock below). During the transition to wintertime, we go back. Here’s a mnemonic to remember:

When do we switch to winter time in 2022?

The transition to wintertime takes place on the last Sunday of October. This year, we will switch to winter time on the night of Saturday October 29 to Sunday October 30, 2022 . At 3am, it will be 2am. We’ll get an hour’s sleep. As every year, the transition to winter time takes place on the last full weekend of October. What changes:

• The sun sets earlier
• We gain an hour of sleep
• Daylight saving time is set to GMT+21

When do we switch to summertime in France?

Daylight saving time takes place on the last Sunday in March. What changes:

• The sun sets later
• We lose an hour of sleep
• Daylight saving time is set to GMT+2

Since when does the time change exist in France?

The time change is a measure that was introduced in France in 1916,  after Germany and the United Kingdom, to save energy resources such as coal. It was abandoned from 1945 to 1975, then was put back in place in 1976, after the oil shock of 1973 in the face of soaring oil prices. It was a question of saving the electricity produced at the time mainly by fuel oil, thanks to an hour of natural sunshine more in the evenings. The decree of September 19, 1975 formalizes the change of time in metropolitan France. Overseas, the time change does not apply except in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. Since 1998 , theDST dates have been harmonized within the European Union . In all member countries, the change to winter time takes place on the last Sunday in October and the change to summer time on the last Sunday in March.

On what dates will the time change take place in 2023?

In 2023, the transition to summer time will take place on the night of Saturday March 25 to Sunday March 26, at 2 a.m. The transition to winter time will take place on the night of Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 October. at 3am.  

Upcoming time changes in France Switching to summer timeSwitching to winter time

2022Sunday March 27 Sunday October 30

2023Sunday March 26 Sunday October 29

2024Sunday March 31 Sunday October 27

2025Sunday March 30 Sunday October 26

How not to be tired during the time change?

It usually takes 3-4 days to fully absorb a time change.

The time change can disrupt biological rhythms. Hence the importance of anticipating it in order to better regulate oneself. ” Two to three days before the change in the summer time, for example, it is advisable to  go to bed slightly earlier than usual  – around twenty minutes – in order to gradually shift and adapt to the news cycle. day/night ,” advises Dr. Catherine Lamblin, sleep physician. Moreover, the day after the time change, ” it is better to  listen to our body and go to bed when we feel tired, even if it is not always easy with professional or family constraints “, It usually takes 3-4 days to fully absorb a time change . Note that “evening” people will be more annoyed when switching to summertime and will have more difficulty getting up in the morning. On the other hand, the transition to summertime will happen without too much trouble for early goers. 

How to prepare the child and the baby for the time change?

Children are particularly sensitive to changes in sleep patterns. To help him adapt smoothly, try to anticipate the time change by gradually shifting the key moments of the day such as meals, nap time, bath time, bedtime… 

► For summertime: we advance meals and bedtime by a quarter of an hour 4 days before the switch to summer time. For example, the first day, we eat at 12:30 p.m., the second day at 12:15 p.m., the third day at 12 p.m., and the fourth day at 11:45 a.m. We close its shutters well so that the child is not disturbed by daylight. 

► For wintertime: meals and bedtime are delayed by a quarter of an hour 4 days before the switch to winter time. We do not hesitate to use a dawn simulator to facilitate awakenings. 

When will be the last time change in France?

The time change has become common to the majority of the Member States of the European Union since 1998 but the system is increasingly criticized. At the request of the European Parliament, the European Commission organized an online consultation during the summer of 2018. Of the 4.6 million Europeans who took part, 84% were against the time change. On September 12, 2018, the President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, declared that he wanted the end of the seasonal time change as of 2019.  In March 2019, MEPs voted in favor of the abolition of the time changes early as 2019. A few weeks later, they reversed their position and had finally decided to postpone this measure so that the Member States of the European Union could have time to decide whether they wanted to stick to the time of summer or winter, in particular, according to their time zones.