On Sunday, October 27, clocks in Greece will be turned back one hour at 4:00 am, when they will be reset to 3:00 am, marking the transition to winter and daylight saving time.
This change, observed annually on the last Sunday of October, shifts time back by one hour to compensate for shorter daylight hours during the winter months.
The majority of internet-connected devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, computers and tablets will automatically update the time. However, it is recommended to double check, and if necessary, manually adjust the settings for automation.
The main aim of using the daylight saving system, which lasts seven months in Greece and across Europe, is to maximize daylight and conserve energy. Winter time also known as standard or solar time, starts on the last Sunday of October.
The concept of daylight saving time traces back to the U.S’s historic figure of Benjamin Franklin, who in a letter addressed to a French newspaper, suggested that people wake up an hour earlier to make better use of daylight, although he was not the one who proposed changing the clock time.
Today only a minority of the global population observes the seasonal time change, with most Asian and African countries opting not. Some countries have abolished it entirely or are considering doing so.
In 2021, the European Union decided to end the mandatory clock change, leaving it up to each member state to decide whether to adopt daylight saving time or use standard time permanently.
Greece, for the time being has opted to continue with daylight saving time, while the debate over whether it should shift the standard system having been postponed indefinitely.
