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Most Poles oppose time changes: audio report

03.11.2022 17:30
Poles set their clocks an hour back as Daylight Saving Time ended last weekend.
Audio
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European Union law requires all member countries to observe Daylight Saving Time by moving clocks forward by an hour on the last Sunday of March and back by an hour on the last Sunday of October.

The European Parliament in 2019 voted in favour of abandoning the practice of moving clocks back and forward by an hour.

EU lawmakers decided they wanted the time changes scrapped, leaving it up to national governments to choose whether to stay on permanent summer or winter time.

But before the final decisions are made, the issue still needs to be dealt with by member states.

Meanwhile, more than 78 percent of Poles are against moving clocks forward in spring and then back again in the autumn, according to a survey.

More than 74 percent of respondents opt for permanent summer time, while the remainder say they prefer to stick with winter time, the study found.

Just over 14 percent of Poles are in favour of retaining the twice-a-year time shift, according to the study.

Some say they have a tough time when the time changes, and doctors have warned of possible sleep problems.

“The key thing is to monitor whether the longer nighttime period does not cause less activity or less sunlight exposure," says psychiatrist Adam Wichniak.

"If that is the case, then two to four weeks later sleep quality and mental wellbeing may drop as less daylight causes mood swings in many people,” he adds.

Michał Owczarek reports...

Click on the audio player above to listen.