Time change 2023: set the clock forward or backward? Daylight saving time begins on the weekend

• The clock is put forward at 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.
• The night is 60 minutes shorter than usual, you can sleep an hour less.
• Despite all the discussions about the time change, there is no end in sight for the time being.

The clock in Germany is changed twice a year. Next time it is again on Sunday, March 26, 2023. At 2:00 a.m. we set the clock forward to 3:00 a.m. and daylight saving time 2023 begins. That means an hour “less sleep” between Saturday and Sunday!

When does the clock go forward and when does it go back?

It’s the same game every year – quite a few of us are surprised by the time change. And every time the question arises: Will the clock be put forward or backward? Can I sleep longer or shorter? A simple note on this:

In spring we put the chairs out, to the front on the balcony or terrace (the clock is put forward). In the fall we’ll bring the chairs back inside (the clock will be turned back).

Technology: Most clocks change automatically

The excuse given to the boss that you accidentally slept an hour longer because of the time change is obsolete these days. Many (radio) clocks change automatically because they compare their time with the atomic clock in Frankfurt. The alarm clocks and clocks on smartphones are usually also automatically synchronized. Nevertheless, there are still clocks that you have to change manually – for example the ones on the oven or the microwave.

The automatic time change does not always run smoothly. Windows computers in particular sometimes have a problem with the time change. We will therefore show you in instructions how to change the date and time in Windows 10 and 11 or how to synchronize your Windows PC directly with the atomic clock.

Why is there a time change at all?

The time change was introduced mainly for economic reasons. Since it is an hour longer in the evening during summertime, street lamps and house lighting, for example, only have to be switched on an hour later. After the oil crisis in the 1970s, the Federal Republic of Germany was the last country in the European Union to decide to introduce daylight saving time in 1980. Before that, they weren’t always there.

Criticism of time change: The internal clock follows other principles

The switch from summer to winter time and vice versa is controversial among the population. In the past, politicians have repeatedly made a name for themselves with the issue and there have been (online) petitions for its abolition. In fact, the last of these polls was a resounding success for many participants! The EU Commission has agreed that to abolish the time change in Europe by 2021. As you can see, this goal was not achieved. There seems to have been little movement in this matter at the moment. For the time being, the change will remain. Countries in the EU can decide for themselves whether to implement the time changes. A patchwork quilt threatens.

The human body and also animals have problems synchronizing their internal clock with the time set by politics. This leads to sleep disturbances, especially when changing from winter to summer time, since one hour of sleep is “stolen” here. Therefore, there are many physicians among the time change critics. They advise people who are having difficulties with the changeover to take the time change step by step. If you get up ten minutes earlier than usual every day a few days before the date of the time change, you should have fewer problems adjusting.

Eternal summer time or eternal winter time – that is the question

Even if the EU Commission has voted to abolish the time change, it is not yet clear whether there will be a permanent switch to winter time or permanently to summer time. The effects of both variants can be seen in the following table.

The upcoming dates for the time change at a glance