As our colleagues at RTL France point out, summertime is the least suited to our physiology, as it moves further away from solar time, which serves as our body’s natural reference.
Winter time, by contrast, aligns more closely with our biological rhythms. Short winter days can weigh on our mood, but as soon as the light returns, many people report feeling “alive again”. This boost in energy comes from the return of daylight, not from summertime itself. In June, when the sun sets between 9pm and 10pm, falling asleep becomes more difficult: the prolonged light conflicts with our internal clock, which remains anchored to natural daylight.
The introduction of summertime was motivated by economic considerations rather than physiological ones. Children, in particular, struggle to fall asleep when it is still light outside, and teenagers, the elderly, and people prone to sleep disorders also find the transition challenging. For some, the shift can feel like a form of jet lag.
Specialists cited by RTL France recommend melatonin as a way to help reset the sleep cycle by signaling the brain that it is time to sleep. The adjustment typically takes a few days but can be longer for more vulnerable individuals.
Until any potential European reform, the switch to summertime continues to disrupt our internal rhythms, underscoring that wintertime remains the most natural solution for our bodies.
