Sleep expert recommends daylight as Austria turns clocks back

As Austria prepares to turn its clocks back by an hour on Sunday, sleep expert Melanie Pesendorfer recommends getting daylight soon after waking. ORF reports that many people surveyed in Klosterneuburg said they would prefer to end the twice-yearly clock change.

People questioned at the town’s farmers’ market described the change as inconvenient, particularly because they have to keep track of appointments and reset clocks by hand. Others said they barely notice the lost or gained hour. Views also differed on whether summer time or standard time should remain in force, though some said ending the changes mattered more than choosing between the two.

The shift can affect the sleep-wake rhythm, Pesendorfer said, and it can take a few days for the body clock to adjust. People who already wake early may initially find themselves waking an hour earlier. Pesendorfer said regular routines support good sleep, but light is also an important cue for the body clock. The earlier onset of darkness can leave people feeling more tired, low in energy or in a worse mood, she said. Young children, older people and shift workers may be particularly sensitive to the change.

Pesendorfer said people could use the extra hour to sleep a little longer, then go outside as soon as possible after waking on Sunday. Daylight can help the body adjust, while worrying about the change is not helpful. For people with changing work schedules, she recommended using light to stabilise their sleep routines: be active in daylight and darken rooms sufficiently during sleep time.

The European Commission proposed ending the clock change in 2018, and the European Parliament backed the proposal in 2019. EU member states have not reached agreement on whether to keep summer time or standard time. Austria will therefore continue changing its clocks twice a year. On Sunday, October 25, clocks will go back from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m., marking the return to standard time.