Prepare to Turn Back the Clocks: Daylight Saving Time Ends in Greece

Prepare to set your clocks back tonight as Daylight Saving Time (DST) comes to an end in Greece early Sunday morning. At 4:00 a.m., the clocks will be adjusted back to 3:00 a.m., signaling the transition from summer to standard time in accordance with European Union regulations.

The primary purpose of daylight saving time, which spans seven months across Europe from March to October, is to make the most of natural daylight and save energy.

Greece's initial experiment with DST began in 1932, but it was not widely adopted across Europe until the aftermath of the 1973 energy crisis in the 1970s. Today, the European Union adheres to a coordinated DST schedule, advancing clocks in the spring and setting them back in the autumn. This change provides an additional hour of evening daylight during the warmer months and aligns more closely with natural daylight patterns in winter.

Despite these advantages, the practice of changing clocks twice a year has generated controversy, especially among sleep experts. Organizations such as the British Sleep Society advocate for the cessation of DST, citing research that indicates disruptions to circadian rhythms, which can affect sleep and overall health. Sleep scientists suggest that maintaining a consistent, year-round standard time would better align with the body's natural clock, which relies significantly on regular morning light for optimal functioning.