In Europe, summer time always starts on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October. Then the winter time starts again, also known as the ‘standard time’. About 70 countries move the clock twice a year.
The Netherlands introduced summer time in 1977, following the example of other European countries that had resisted the clock to save energy. To ensure that the Netherlands used the same time as the neighboring countries, summer time was also introduced here. Since 1980, summer time has been arranged European.
Negative influence on sleep and hormones
Resisting the clock has been under discussion for some time. For example, experts state that it has a negative influence on the human body. The biological clock is disturbed, making it more difficult to get to sleep, or to wake up.
In addition, it disrupts hormone balance, neurologist Raymond Vogels from Noordwest Hospital Group previously told NH. According to him, it can take up to six weeks before the hormonal balance is completely restored.
Should summer time disappear?
The impact on the body is one of the reasons why there has been a time to abolish the summer and winter time. In 2018, the European Commission proposed to permanently enter summer time within the EU. But this plan did not get off the ground.
According to the central government, more research is needed. “The government believes that the European Commission has not yet clearly indicated what the advantages and disadvantages of abolishing are. This requires a thorough effect assessment by the European Commission.”
There is also doubt among the Dutch population. Research by the central government from 2018 and 2019 shows that Dutch people do not have a clear preference for a permanent winter time, a permanent summer time or the current system.
For now the clock is just going another hour ahead. The clock will be returned to the standard time on Sunday 26 October.