Watch out for the time change! Now is the time to think about switching to winter time.
Every 6 months, France, like all the countries of the European Union, makes a switch to be more in line with the light of the day. The 2024 winter time change is next. Scheduled for the last weekend of October, it is fast approaching. This will result in a one hour step back in time and you should not forget to set your alarm clocks, watches, or household appliances which will not do it automatically, unlike your smartphone.
If we “gain” an hour of sleep and if winter time is closest to so-called “solar” or “natural” time (France goes from GMT +2 to GMT+1), many specialists agree that this time change in the middle of autumn disrupts our biological rhythm just as much as that of summer.
To avoid too sudden an upheaval, it is advisable to prepare in advance to anticipate and avoid the transition to winter time. By starting now, everything will go much better and the shift will be easier to deal with. Gentle adaptation is particularly recommended by several doctors and “chronobiologists” for young children, the elderly, or those suffering from sleep disorders.
To facilitate the adaptation of our biological clock, it is in fact preferable to adjust our bedtime and wake-up times sufficiently early and gradually. Starting well in advance of the time change date is a first step and it is therefore from mid-week that you should think about it. We now advise you to set your alarm 15 minutes later and go to bed the night before accordingly. Gradually increase until Saturday from 15 minutes to 25 minutes then to 45 minutes and of course an hour later on the Sunday of the time change.
You can do the same for meal times. It is also recommended to limit stimulants in the days preceding this time change in order to optimize your sleep. Coffee, tea, sodas, alcohol should be avoided after 4 p.m., screens at least two hours before bedtime. You should also take advantage of the light while there is still time, go outside as soon as you can and exercise to tire yourself out a little.
For the rest, the rule does not change: the time change takes place every last weekend of October, therefore on the night of October 26 to 27. At 3 a.m., we’ll jump back to 2 o’clock. Advantage for some: this time change falls right in the middle of the All Saints’ Day holidays. But also pay attention to the aftermath! Sunday morning, don’t stay in bed too long, otherwise the shock on Monday will be terrible. Go out and see the light of day. And if you feel tired in the days that follow, you can resort to short naps, as long as they are short (between 10 and 20 minutes) and before 3 p.m.