When Do We Put the Clocks Back

Why Do the Clocks Change?

The changing of the clocks takes place in many countries of the world to take advantage of daylight hours. The time alters by an hour twice a year to make maximum use of the daylight and this is important for many industries. The changing of the clock ensures that, during winter months when daylight is precious, daylight is maximized and in the summer, when there is more daylight, more of it falls in the evening which in effect extends the day. The summer time is referred to as Daylight Saving Time or DST. In Britain it is referred to as British Summer Time or BST.

While the changing of the clocks is widespread, it is less common in countries that are near the equator. This is because these counties experience less of a difference in the number of daylight hours than countries that are farther away from the equator.

When Do We Put the Clocks Back and Forward?

Many people find trying to work out which way the clocks change confusing, and remembering whether clocks go forward or back can sometimes be a challenge. There is a simple phrase that can help people remember which way the clocks go and that is 'Spring Forward, Fall Back'. This simple phrase plays on the fact that in spring clocks 'spring forward' an hour and in the fall they fall or go back an hour. This is a useful phrase and is a good way of remembering in which directions the clocks go.

What Time Do the Clocks Change?

Generally, the clocks change at two in the morning. This means that when the clocks go back in the fall, the time changes from two in the morning to one in the morning, thus giving the day twenty-five hours instead of the normal twenty-four hours. Correspondingly, the clocks change in the spring at 2:00 a.m. Meaning that the time changes from two in the morning to three in the morning, meaning that the day has an hour less than normal – twenty-three hours.

Different Countries – Different Dates

Although many countries change their clocks twice a year, this is not carried out at a universal time and different countries set their own dates for the clocks to change.

US Daylight Savings Times Dates

In the United States, the clocks change on the second Sunday in March and again on the first Sunday in November. This means that almost two-thirds of the year are in Daylight Saving Time or DST. Fixing the change of the clocks to a certain day of the month rather than a date is beneficial as it remains fixed every year and is easy to remember and helps to answer the question of when do we put the clocks back and forward.

Time Change in Europe

In countries of the European Union, clocks fall back the last Sunday in October and are set ahead the first Sunday in March at 1.00 am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT.

Issues Regarding the Changing of the Clocks

While the changing of the clocks has long been practiced, there are still some factors that people need to consider.

Changing Clocks in the House

All the watches and clocks in a house need to be changed and this can be quite a time consuming process. It is particularly important that alarm clocks are changed as they play such an important part in the household. Even the loudest alarm clock or a cool alarm clock is useless if it tells the wrong time, although atomic alarm clocks often change the time automatically.

International Challenges

Remembering what date the clocks change is important for businesses that trade internationally. It is also important when planning a journey or even simply calling friends and family who live overseas. Getting the time wrong could result in a call that is earlier or later than expected.

Knowing when the clocks change will help you plan ahead and be prepared for the extra hour or loss of an hour!