Time change in Poland - When and how do we change the clocks?
- Damian Brzeski
- 3 hours ago
- 10 min read
Twice a year, Poland undergoes a time change, which is increasingly seen as a relic of the past. The current time change, once a pragmatic tool, is now highly controversial and facing the most serious crisis in its history.
In this article, I break down the topic of seasonal time changes: from specific dates, through devastating scientific evidence, to the behind-the-scenes political battle to finally give up on it.
When do we change the clocks in Poland?
According to current regulations, the two-time annual time change will continue in Poland at least until the end of 2026.
This means we'll still have to remember to move the clock hands in the coming years. The next time change is coming soon, and the entire time change plan for the coming years is predetermined.
Time change dates in 2025
As part of the 2025 Time Change schedule, we will have a standard transition from winter to summer time and back.
For summer time: On the night of Saturday 29 to Sunday 30 March 2025, we move our clocks forward one hour, from 2:00 to 3:00.
For winter time: The change to winter time 2025 will take place on the night of Saturday, October 25 to Sunday, October 26, 2025. Then we turn the clocks back one hour, from 3:00 to 2:00.
Planned dates for the 2026 time change
The next time change after October 2025 will come in the spring.
For summer time: The change to daylight saving time in 2026 will occur on the night of Saturday, March 28 to Sunday, March 29, 2026. We move the clocks forward again, from 2:00 to 3:00.
To winter time: This autumn, the time change takes place on the night of Saturday 24 to Sunday 25 October 2026 , when we turn the hands back from 3:00 to 2:00.
Summer time and winter time: how do they work?
All this fuss boils down to switching between two conventional times to better align activity hours with daylight.
Summer time in Poland and its validity
Daylight saving time is a time artificially advanced by one hour. Its purpose is to "shift" sunlight into the evening hours.
In Poland, summer time lasts from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. During this period, we use a time known as Central European Summer Time .
Winter time as standard time
Winter time , which applies during the remaining months, is actually our natural time.
This is considered the standard time for our geographic zone. Technically, it is Central European Winter Time .
Differences between CEST and CET
The basic difference is simple: Central European Summer Time (CEST) is simply Central European Time (CET) plus one hour. When we use daylight saving time, our clock is offset from the astronomical time in our time zone.
Legal basis for changing the time
The mandatory time change in Poland is not accidental – it results directly from national and EU regulations that ensure that the Polish time change is synchronized with the rest of the Community.
Regulation of the Prime Minister
In Poland, this issue is regulated by the regulation of the Prime Minister of 4 March 2022.
This document, which is essentially an implementation of an earlier resolution of the Council of Ministers, sets the exact dates for the time change for the years 2022-2026.
Directive 2000/84/EC and EU regulations
The Polish regulation is an implementation of the EU Directive 2000/84/EC , which unified the rules for changing time in all Member States.
As long as this directive is in force, Poland cannot independently abandon this practice, and time changes remain a fact.
Abolishing Daylight Saving Time: Is this the end of changing the clocks?
The elimination of daylight saving time has been hotly debated for years. Despite overwhelming public support, ending daylight saving time faces numerous political obstacles.
Political initiatives and the PSL bill
Initiatives seeking to abolish daylight saving time have been appearing on the Polish political scene for years.
The most active in this matter is the Polish People's Party, which has repeatedly submitted bills to maintain summer time permanently.
The role of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council 2025
A new impetus for the discussion emerged recently when Poland, preparing for its EU Council presidency, declared its willingness to resume work. Some argue that this is a chance to decide whether the time change will remain with us for the long term.
The position of the European Commission and the decisions of the Member States
In 2018, the European Commission , after public consultation, proposed a directive abolishing the time change.
However, the project is stuck in the EU Council due to a disagreement among member states on whether it is better to cancel summer time or keep it.
Public opinion and support from Poles
Public opinion polls have been clear for years: the vast majority of Poles have had enough and want summer time to continue to be separated from winter time, supporting the abolition of the time change .
Health effects of time change
The most compelling arguments against daylight saving time come from the scientific community. It is precisely the negative effects of daylight saving time that are the main driving force behind the debate.
Impact on circadian rhythm and sleep
What the time change causes , above all, is a blow to our internal biological clock. Disruption of this circadian rhythm leads to concentration problems, fatigue, and a general decline in well-being.
Increased risk of heart attacks and seasonal depression
Studies show that heart attacks increase in the first few days after the spring time change. Disruptions in daily rhythms can also exacerbate symptoms of seasonal depression, demonstrating that the time change is indeed harmful to health.
Recommendations of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Leading medical organizations are calling for an end to this practice. Importantly, the scientific preference for winter time stems from the fact that it is better synchronized with human biology and the solar cycle.
The history and motivations behind the introduction of daylight saving time
The long history of daylight saving time goes back over a hundred years and was born out of very specific, pragmatic needs.
Energy saving as the primary goal
The main reason why the introduction of daylight saving time became a reality was energy saving.
The original purpose of introducing daylight saving time was to make better use of daylight saving time and daylight, which reduced fuel consumption for lighting.
Practical aspects of changing the time
Modern technology makes it much easier for us to cope with this annual change.
Automatic time change watches
The vast majority of electronic devices we use are equipped with an automatic time change function. Smartphones, computers, and smartwatches update the time themselves by downloading data from the network.
Examples from abroad: who has already given up on changing the time?
The European Union is lagging behind the global trend of cancelling summer time and abandoning its seasonal use.
Countries that have abolished daylight saving time
Mexico, Jordan, and Syria have joined the ranks of countries that have abandoned this practice. Russia, Türkiye, Brazil, and Argentina had already done so, demonstrating that life without daylight saving time is possible.
World Time Change: Global Mosaic
The debate taking place in Poland and the European Union is part of a global trend away from a practice that is perceived as increasingly outdated.
Currently, fewer than 40% of countries in the world observe seasonal time changes , and that number is steadily decreasing. Although more than 140 countries have experimented with advancing their clocks in the past, most have since abandoned the practice.
Europe: Daylight saving time is most common in Europe. However, several European countries do not change their clocks, including Iceland, Russia, Turkey, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
Global trend of abandonment: In the last decade, many countries have joined the ranks of countries without daylight saving time. In 2022, Mexico (most of the country), Jordan, Syria, and Iran abolished this practice. Similar decisions were previously made by Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, among others.
Countries with partial time change: In some countries, the decision to change the time is not uniform for the entire territory.
United States: Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe standard time. Overseas territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa also use standard time year-round.
Canada: Provinces such as Yukon and most of Saskatchewan, as well as some regions of Quebec and British Columbia, observe constant time year-round.
Australia: Daylight saving time is not observed in the states of Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, among others.
Time change curiosities
Beyond politics and biology, the world of time holds a wealth of fascinating stories and absurdities. Here are a few:
Canadians were first: Although Germany is considered the pioneer of mass daylight saving time (1916), the first city in the world to officially implement daylight saving time was Port Arthur in the Canadian province of Ontario, which did so on July 1, 1908.
Time in Antarctica: On a continent where half the year is polar day and the other half is polar night, there's no justification for changing the time. Despite this, clocks at research stations are adjusted. This is done for purely logistical reasons – individual stations synchronize their time with the time in the country that funds and supplies them (for example, the American McMurdo Station uses New Zealand time).
Unusual time zones: While most of the world uses time zones that are a full hour ahead of Universal Time (UTC), some countries use offsets of 30 or 45 minutes. Examples include India (UTC+5:30), Iran (UTC+3:30), and Nepal (UTC+5:45).
The Cosmic Time Problem: On the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts experience 16 sunrises and sunsets per day. To avoid chaos, the station maintains a single, constant time—Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), which is not subject to seasonal changes.
No more chaos in the US: Before the Uniform Time Act was passed in the United States in 1966, the country was in "temporal chaos." Each city could decide for itself whether and when to implement daylight saving time. A bus trip of just 35 miles (56 km) could result in seven time changes.
Conclusions for Poland and the European Union
An analysis of the facts leads to clear conclusions. Although the winter/summer time transition remains in effect until at least 2027, the momentum of change seems unstoppable.
The future of the debate will no longer focus on whether to abolish daylight saving time, but on what will replace it: permanent daylight saving time or science-recommended standard time .
Time Change: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions about seasonal time change in Poland, its future and impact on our lives.
When is the next time change in Poland? The next time change will occur on the night of Saturday, October 25th to Sunday, October 26th, 2025, when we will switch from summer to winter time, turning our clocks back from 3:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Will the time change in Poland be eliminated? Work is underway to abolish it, and discussions on this topic were recently resumed within the European Union at Poland's initiative. A final decision has not yet been made.
When is the earliest we can expect the end of the time change? According to the current regulation, the time change will be in effect in Poland until at least the end of 2026. This means that the earliest possible date for this practice to be phased out is 2027.
Why was daylight saving time introduced in the first place? Historically, daylight saving time was introduced during World War I in Germany in 1916. The primary goal was to save coal and electricity for the arms industry.
Does changing daylight saving time actually save energy? Contemporary analyses indicate that the energy savings resulting from daylight saving time are negligible. The original economic argument has lost its relevance in today's reality.
How does the time change affect health? Negatively. Scientific studies show that changing the clocks disrupts our internal biological clock, which can lead to sleep problems, poor concentration, and even increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and obesity.
Which time is healthier for humans: summer or winter? The vast majority of scientific studies and medical organizations indicate that permanent standard time (winter time) is more beneficial for health. Morning sunlight plays a key role in synchronizing our biological clock, and winter time provides more of it in the morning.
What is the status of work on abolishing daylight saving time in the European Union? After several years of stalemate, Poland successfully reinstated the discussion at the EU Council in June 2025. The European Commission was obligated to prepare an in-depth analysis of the effects of abolishing daylight saving time, which is a condition for further work.
What proposal has Poland made to break the deadlock in the EU? Poland has proposed a two-year, EU-wide pilot program that would involve a trial suspension of the clock change. This would allow for the collection of hard data on the consequences of such a decision.
Which countries in the world no longer use daylight saving time? Currently, fewer than 40% of countries in the world change their clocks. In recent years, Mexico, Jordan, Syria, Iran, Russia, and Turkey, among others, have abandoned this practice.
Will my phone and computer update the time themselves? Yes, the vast majority of modern electronic devices, such as smartphones, computers, and smartwatches, automatically sync the time with the network and will update it themselves.
What are the exact dates for the time changes until the end of 2026?
From summer to winter 2025: night of October 25 to 26, 2025
From winter to summer 2026: night of March 28 to 29, 2026
From summer to winter 2026: night of October 24 to 25, 2026
Which time change is worse for the body? The spring transition from winter to summer time is more severe, as we "lose" an hour of sleep. This is a greater shock to our biological clock.
Have there been any attempts to abolish daylight saving time at the national level in Poland? Yes, members of parliament from the Polish People's Party (now Third Way) have repeatedly submitted bills to the Sejm (lower house of parliament) aimed at eliminating daylight saving time and introducing permanent daylight saving time.
Why did the national draft laws not come into force? The main obstacle was their incompatibility with the existing European Union directive, which governs daylight saving time and takes precedence over national law.
How can I mitigate the negative effects of the time change? It's recommended to gradually advance your bedtime by 15-20 minutes for a few days before the change, increase your exposure to sunlight in the morning, and avoid caffeine and screens in the evening.
Do all US states observe daylight saving time? No. Hawaii and Arizona have opted out (except for the Navajo Indian Reservation).
What does daylight saving time look like in Antarctica? Although daylight saving time doesn't make sense there due to polar day and night, research stations adjust their clocks to synchronize with the time of the countries that supply them, which simplifies logistics.
What public support does the elimination of daylight saving time have? In a 2018 pan-European survey, 84% of respondents supported abolishing daylight saving time.
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