Tips to easily overcome the change to winter time

On the night of Saturday, October 26, to Sunday, October 27, the transition to winter time will be made in 2024, so Romanians must adjust their clocks and set them back one hour, 4:00 becoming 3 :00.

The summer and winter time system involves an adjustment of the clocks by one hour each spring and autumn, in order to take better advantage of natural light.

Doctors warn that the change of time can affect the functioning of our metabolism. For this reason, disturbances of sleep and circadian rhythms occur.

Why are the clocks turned back and which countries still switch to winter time

Romania established this time change system in 1932. At that time, the time changed on the first Sunday of April, respectively on the first Sunday of October.

Photo source: doctorulzilei.ro archive

This practice remained valid until 1943, when the daylight saving time law was no longer in effect. Only after 36 years, in 1979, did he return to this procedure.

The convention was signed by Romania in 1979, and in 1997, by government ordinance, summer time was again correlated with that practiced in the countries of the European Union.

The adaptation of the body takes at least 15 days

In the first few days after the time change, many people suffer from various symptoms such as irritability, insomnia, daytime fatigue and reduced immune function.

“In addition, individual physical and mental articulations influence how this adaptation is achieved. Every year, many patients arrive at the emergency room with polymorphous symptoms, even going as far as aggravating or decompensating some ailments“, explains the doctor.

“All this happens because the change in waking time leads to a stress to which the body reacts by increasing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines causing changes:

a) cardiovascular manifested by variations in blood pressure and various heart rhythm disorders;

b) neuropsychological: changes in sleep quality (insomnia, drowsiness), asthenia, apathy, anhedonia, agitation, irritability, anxiety, concentration and memory disorders, headache, vertigo, changes in appetite (anorexia or bulimia), up to seasonal affective disorders and suicidal ideation”explains Dr. Ciuhodaru, who warns that, when the symptoms appear, a medical consultation must be done, to rule out another medical cause.

5 tips to easily overcome the transition to winter time

1. Proper planning of the activity.

2. Avoiding overstrain due to nerve stimulants, psychoactive substances or conflict situations.

3. Spending as much time outdoors as possible should not be neglected

4. And no movement, even in the form of simple walks.

5. As well as a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.