Abandoning the practice of changing clocks: arguments against 'summer' and 'winter' time.

The world is changing its attitude towards changing clocks

In recent years, it has become clear that more and more countries around the world are abandoning the practice of changing clocks. According to data, only 60 out of 200 countries continue this practice. 140 countries have either never introduced clock changes or have abandoned them.

In North America, the last change to daylight saving Time occurred on March 9, 2025. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the world, for example, in Australia, the transition to standard time will occur on April 6, 2025.

Opinions in Europe and global experience

Debates about the advantages or necessity of changing clocks continue in the European Union. The proposal from the European Commission to abolish this practice was supported by the European Parliament in 2019, but this initiative remains at the debate level in the European Council. In 2020, 67 MEPs again emphasized health risks as a winning argument.

Countries that have already abandoned the changing of clocks include Russia, Iceland, and Belarus. This list also includes Egypt, Turkey, Armenia, Argentina, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. In the USA, there are no clock changes in Hawaii and most of Arizona.

Scientifically confirmed health harm

Many studies confirm the negative impact of changing clocks on health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports the abolition of seasonal time changes and recommends staying with a permanent winter time, which better accommodates human biological rhythms.

Changing the clocks increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, especially in the first three working days. Additionally, this change disrupts sleep cycles, affects melatonin production, and can lead to anxiety and hormonal disturbances.

Professor Finkelstein emphasizes that daylight saving time disrupts human biological rhythms as it reduces exposure to morning sunlight, shifting our sleep patterns and potentially negatively impacting our health.

Economic aspect and public opinion

Recent studies show that changing clocks is losing its economic benefits. Professor Laura Grant points out that daylight saving time actually increases energy consumption.

The public actively supports the abolition of clock changes. According to a Gallup poll in the USA, 54% of Americans are in favor of abolishing this practice, compared to 26% of the population who were against it in the 1990s. Most Europeans also support the transition to permanent time.

Regardless of the decision made regarding the changing of clocks in Ukraine, it is clear that the global trend is moving away from this practice and towards stable time accounting systems that better account for human biological rhythms and the needs of modern society.