Extra hour of sleep: How to benefit from the change in winter time!

Extra hour of sleep: How to benefit from the change in winter time!

Next Sunday, October 26, 2025, the clocks will go back to 2 a.m. at 3 a.m. This change to winter time gives Cologne residents an additional hour of sleep, which many will use to recover from everyday experiences. In recent decades, this annual rhythm of time change on the last Sunday in March and October has been established, which was introduced in France in 1976 and harmonized at European level in 1998, as portal.free.fr reported.

But the time change doesn't just affect our sleep. The change between summer and winter time is increasingly being questioned. Chronobiologists warn that this practice disrupts many people's natural rhythms. A study from Stanford University has shown that permanent standard time, i.e. winter time, could have health benefits. For example, obesity and strokes could be significantly reduced, although European legislation on the time change could not prevent this, as tagesschau.de notes.

Health aspects of the time change

The downside of the time change is an issue that concerns many people. The change causes what is known as “social jet lag,” as the body’s internal clock is out of sync with external time. A survey shows that around 15% of the population, so-called “Lève-tôt”, react differently to the changes compared to the “couch potatoes” who identify more with summer time. This discrepancy can lead to a range of health problems, from sleep disorders to increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, such as science-et-vie.com clarified.

More and more voices are calling for a final abolition of the time change. The European Parliament had already decided in 2019 to reconsider this practice. Unfortunately, no uniform regulation for permanent summer or winter time has been established since then, which further increases the uncertainty. Chronobiologist Till Rönneberg explains that biological time is based on sunlight - and the current situation is overwhelming for many people.

Advice for the transition

With the transition to winter time approaching, there are some simple tips that can help you adapt better. After the change, sleep researchers recommend being less strict with yourself and spending a lot of time outdoors to help your body adapt. These measures can help to mitigate the impact of the time change and increase well-being.

Winter time is generally considered to be less harmful to health, which is also proven by various studies. However, it remains to be seen when an agreement will be reached on the final regulation of the time change in Europe. Until then: Look forward to the extra hour of sleep on Sunday and enjoy the autumn days!