The time change is perhaps the most defining marker of our transition into the winter season. Despite its many critics, Cyprus continues to observe this system. Specifically, for 2024, the time change will take place in the early hours of the last Sunday in October, on October 27. At 4:00 AM, clocks will be set back one hour, effectively giving us an extra hour of sleep.

Daylight saving time (DST) is based on a system designed to make better use of daylight and save energy. In Cyprus and across Europe, DST lasts for seven months, while standard time (or winter time) begins on the last Sunday of October and is observed for five months.

The first recorded mention of daylight saving time came from Benjamin Franklin in a letter published in a French newspaper. While Franklin didn’t suggest changing the clocks, he proposed that people wake up one hour earlier to make better use of daylight.

Today, only a minority of the global population follows the time change system, as most Asian and African countries do not observe it. Some countries have abolished it or are planning to do so in the future.

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