Stand: 09.09.2024, 07:06
Von: Victoria Maiwald
Daylight saving time ends in October 2024. Here’s an overview of when the clocks will be changed and what the extra hour means.
Dortmund – The days are getting shorter, the nights longer – autumn is here! And with it comes the time change. Many people look forward to the extra hour of sleep that the change to winter time brings. But when exactly will it happen this year? And what is the time change all about?
Time change in October 2024: How and when will the clocks be changed?
Traditionally, the change to winter time takes place every year on the last Sunday in October. In 2024, this will be October 27th. On the night from Saturday to Sunday, the clocks will be set back an hour at 3 a.m. – that means it will be 2 a.m. The good news: you can sleep an hour longer! So if you want to snuggle up in bed one more time on this Sunday morning, you can do so without feeling guilty (more service topics at RUHR24).
If you always wonder whether the clock is set forward or back, you can use this simple saying to help you: “In spring, you put the garden furniture before the house, in autumn they are placed back into the shed.” It works the same way with the clock: In spring the clocks are put forward and in autumn they are put back. Summer time ends in October and winter time, also known as standard time, begins. This means that it gets light earlier in the morning, but unfortunately also dark more quickly in the evening.
Time change in autumn 2024: Why do we have to turn the clocks?
The time change was originally introduced for energy saving reasons. The idea was to make better use of daylight and thus save electricity for lighting. In Germany, summer time was first introduced during the First World War and then reintroduced in the 1980s to reduce energy consumption.
But whether the time change actually saves energy is still a matter of debate. Many people also complain of health problems caused by the change. The so-called “mini jet lag” caused by the time change is particularly problematic for those who are sensitive to changes in their sleep rhythm.
Does changing the time save energy – or not?
The argument about whether changing the clocks actually saves energy is because the original idea was to reduce energy consumption for lighting by making better use of daylight. When daylight saving time was introduced in many countries (including Germany), this was a relevant argument because a large proportion of energy consumption was used for lighting.
But today the situation is more complex:
Modern lighting technologies such as LED lamps are much more energy efficient, so the savings from extended daylight use are smaller.
More energy consumption through other activities: Studies show that during the summer time, heating is used more frequently in the cooler morning hours and air conditioning is used more frequently in the evening, which can cancel out or even exceed the supposed savings.
Regional differences: In countries or regions closer to the equator, where the length of the day is relatively constant throughout the year, changing the clocks has little benefit. In more northern regions, the effects may be different.
These factors have led experts and studies to come to different conclusions as to whether changing the time still results in significant energy savings.
Time change to winter time in October 2024 – abolition still not in sight
The abolition of daylight saving time has been discussed for years. In 2019, the European Parliament even decided to abolish daylight saving time. However, the implementation of this plan is still pending because the member states could not agree on a uniform approach. Until then, it will stay this way: In spring, we set the clocks to summer time and in autumn, we set them back to winter time.
Whether consumers use the extra hour of sleep or enjoy the early morning – on October 27, 2024, they will have an hour more time. And if you are one of those who long for the abolition of the time change: you still have to be patient. Until then, the little “time change” will remain with us.
