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K ARL AZZOPARDI TODAY week Malta and the rest of Europe will be turn- ing back the clock for one last time in a move that will delight those who resent the early dusk in winter. In March 2019, the European Parliament voted to scrap once and for all the custom of turn- ing back the clock by one hour in Autumn, and turning it for- ward by one hour in Spring. The change will come into action in 2021. The concept of daylight-sav- ing time sees its origin in 1895, when New Zealand entomolo- gist George Hudson proposed a two-hour time shift to have more hours to go hunting for insects. But seven years later, the idea was independently put forward to England's par- liament by British builder Wil- liam Willett, as a way to pre- vent the nation from wasting daylight. His idea was championed by Winston Churchill but initially rejected by the British govern- ment. In 1916, the German govern- ment started thinking about ways to save energy during World War I and immediately adopted it. Other countries in Europe followed suit. But daylight savings time has been shown to affect individu- als' physical and mental health. "Falling back to gain one hour of daylight in the autumn months causes reductions in sleep and increases rates of cardiac problems, stroke, cor- tisol (the body's main stress hormone) production, and traffic accidents," researcher Prof. Charles Scerri said. The good news is that in nor- mal circumstances, the effects do not last longer than three weeks, as the body's circadian rhythm starts adjusting. Prof. Scerri also said that a link has been made between the time change and mental health. "Daylight savings time happens with the change of season and this is particularly important for a type of depres- sion often referred to as Sea- sonal Affective Disorder. "Symptoms of S.A.D. include sadness, anxiety, lost interest in usual activities, withdrawal from social activities, inability to concentrate, hopelessness, and despair," he said. Prof. Scerri pointed out that the daylight savings time pos- es a particular challenge on dementia patients. "Having a consistent routine is an im- portant part of managing their condition. By shifting the clock, this routine is disrupted and often leads to confusion and disorientation." Such symptoms usually re- solve each spring and tend to occur again in autumn. Turning back the clock might signal a shift in living patterns, but the perception that an au- tumn transition gives people an extra hour of sleep is wrong. "There is little evidence that people do get extra sleep on that night," Prof. Scerri said. And as a general rule, losing an hour in the spring is more difficult to gaining an hour in autumn. "In a way It is similar to air travel. Travelling east, we lose time. An earlier bed- time may cause difficulty fall- ing asleep and increased wake- fulness during the early part of the night. Going west, we fall asleep easily but may have a difficult time waking," Prof. Scerri said. "It only takes a couple of days in normal individuals to adjust. Like the rest, it then becomes a habit of which our body will get used to." 16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 OCTOBER 2020 NEWS Adapt for the future. Angele felt it was time for her business to get support to help give it a boost. So she contacted the local Enterprise Europe Network to explore all the opportunities available to SMEs in the EU. The Enterprise Europe Network helped her find the right support. Find out how the Enterprise Europe Network can support your business : enterprise-europemalta.com Angele Giuliano Managing Director, AcrossLimits Ltd. Looking to develop your business in a changing world ? Set your alarms. Europe turns back clock one last time