But fears around road safety prompted a return to the status quo, disappointing those who argued changing the clocks twice a year upset natural sleep rhythms which could ultimately lead to health problems. To say nothing of the shocks suffered by those who had forgotten to change and couldn’t work out what was going on. Our former European colleagues also tackled time in 2018, when the European Union commissioned a study which found 84 per cent of people in countries which had DST wanted it discontinued. It gave member states the option to continue in summer time by adjusting their clocks for the last time this month, while those opting for permanent winter time would turn back their clocks in October. For most of us, though, it all revolves around whether, for one day, we are gaining – or losing – an extra hour under the duvet. So, in this case, it means after 1am on Sunday March 28th, we spring forward from our beds, desperately hoping the other half remembered to adjust the central heating settings. The main advantage, of course, is that evenings gradually become lighter, promoting more activity
after work, which is obviously good for general health and the retail sector, which has long complained that darker, colder afternoons reduce footfall apart from around Christmas.
Nature starts to break out of its winter slumber to bring splashes of colour to the countryside
Roads also become safer. Figures show casualty rates peak at 8am and 10am and worsen at 3pm and 7pm during darker hours and deteriorating road conditions when cyclists – particularly children on their way home from school – are most at risk. There are also environmental benefits, as demand for electricity decreases in correlation with the increased hours of daylight as well as rising temperatures. Plus nature starts to break out of its winter slumber to bring splashes of colour to the countryside. Consequently, people generally feel happier and more energetic.
Employers’ organisations say there are lower sickness rates among their workers while instances of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as winter depression) drop significantly, while carb cravings are also lowered. And once the clocks go forward, the clock starts ticking down to the first of the Bank Holiday weekends, heralded by the four-day Easter blockbuster, followed by two more in May and another at the end of August. So, as you ponder the complexities of resetting the timer on the boiler count yourself fortunate. There are more than 2,000 clocks in the Houses of Parliament. And the time on your Smartphone updates automatically.
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
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