Spain Prepares for Winter Time Change on October 26, 2025
Spain will set clocks back one hour on October 26, 2025, marking the transition to winter time amid ongoing debate about the practice's health and energy implications.
- • Spain will change clocks back one hour on October 26, 2025, to enter winter time.
- • The clock change aims to save energy by optimizing daylight usage across the EU since 1981.
- • Health concerns include irritability, concentration problems, and increased obesity and depression risks.
- • The European Commission proposed ending clock changes but no EU-wide consensus has been reached yet.
Key details
Spain is set to transition from daylight saving time to winter time on the last Sunday of October, which this year falls on October 26, 2025. At 3:00 AM, clocks will be set back one hour to 2:00 AM, granting Spaniards an extra hour of sleep. This biannual clock change, in place in the European Union since 1981, aims to optimize daylight use and achieve energy savings.
However, the practice has drawn criticism due to concerns about negative health impacts. The Spanish Sleep Society has highlighted issues such as irritability, difficulty concentrating, and increased risks of obesity and depression linked to the time shift. In 2018, the European Commission questioned the necessity of these clock changes and proposed eliminating them, but member states have yet to reach an agreement, leaving the future of the practice uncertain.
The Spanish government formed a commission in 2019 which also did not reach consensus on ending the time changes. According to the Real Decreto 236/2002, the schedule for these adjustments is published five years in advance, with the next change noted for October 27, 2026, currently expected to be the last unless the EU reaches a new decision.
This annual time change remains a significant event for Spain, affecting daily schedules and raising ongoing debate about its benefits and drawbacks. As October 26 approaches, Spaniards will prepare for the traditional clock rollback marking the start of winter time.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.