Time Change: How It Affects the Body and How to Adapt Quickly

Dreading winter time? Here's how to cope with the days getting darker and darker.

2 min

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By Ignacio Heredia
October 28, 2022

Why trust us?

The dreaded winter timetable is just around the corner. Are you ready? More light in the mornings in exchange for an earlier nightfall. That’s the rundown on the time change that kicks in in the early hours of Saturday, October 28th to October 29th. That night, at 3:00AM we’ll have to set the clock back to 2:00AM. This ritual, which we do twice a year, started in the 1970s with the idea of making better use of daylight and saving energy. This is still, in theory, the reason why it’s maintained, although it is increasingly being met with opposition. In fact, in 2019, the European Parliament were in favour of putting an end to the seasonal time change as of 2021, allowing each country to choose whether to keep summer or winter time. Europeans also seem to have it clear, as 84% are in favour of abolishing the biannual change, according to a survey by the European Commission of 4.6 million citizens.

The fact is that, although at first sight it may seem an insignificant change to move the hands of the clock a little, it turns out that this small variation has significant effects on both our health and our athletic performance. The Spanish Sleep Society (SES) recommends an end to clock changes “based on existing scientific evidence” and also makes clear its preference for winter time, as it “promotes a more stable biological rhythm than summer time, which contributes to improving intellectual performance and helps to reduce the onset of various diseases such as cardiovascular issues, obesity, insomnia and depression”.

So it seems that the time change may have its days numbered. But what happens next? Well, time is passing by, and none of the different countries can seem to agree on how to put an end to this nonsense. Until governments get their act together, there are ways to reduce the impact of the time change on our body. Here’s how.

The effects on our sporting performance

Juan Ruiz López, a personal trainer based in Madrid, has outlined what happens to our body every time we change the time: “the time change alters our circadian rhythms related to the regulation of body temperature, heart rate, hormone production and electrolyte excretion”. These rhythms function in our bodies depending on stimuli such as light, lack of light, mealtimes, physical activity or sleep.

With winter time, the days become shorter as it gets darker earlier, the temperature drops and the urge to exercise decreases. Who wants to get dressed for a run when it’s dark and cold outside? The Association for Self-Care in Health (ANEFP), has given us some tips that you can see in this infographic, and you can also read the following:

Set a regular sleep schedule. Try to always go to bed and get up at the same time, as this will help you fall asleep.
Avoid large dinners and try not to go to bed until two hours after eating.
Exercise regularly, but never just before bedtime.
Avoid naps or at least try to keep them to no more than 20 minutes.
Reduce consumption of caffeine and other stimulant drinks.
Don’t expose yourself to bright light from electronic devices, as this can cause problems falling asleep.
Try to have a pleasant sleeping environment, with a suitable mattress and pillows to make it easier for you to rest.
Before going to sleep try to do relaxing activities such as reading or listening to music.

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