Finland turns clocks back on Sunday as winter time begins

Finland is set to switch back to winter time on Sunday, October 25, requiring residents to turn their clocks backward by one hour.

At 4:00 AM on Sunday, official time will shift back to 3:00 AM.

Smartphones and computers will update automatically, but analog wall clocks and watches must be changed manually.

This adjustment happens simultaneously across all European Union member states.

The synchronized change helps prevent disruptions to international flight and rail schedules.

Sunday morning was chosen for the shift because traffic levels are typically at their lowest.

Finland has maintained the biannual clock change tradition since 1981.

Under current practice, clocks move forward on the last Sunday of March and backward on the last Sunday of October.

The transition gives everyone an extra hour of sleep as the night becomes temporarily longer.

Efforts to end the seasonal time changes remain stalled across the European Union.

The European Commission proposed ending the practice in 2018 with backing from Finland, and the European Parliament voted in favor in 2019.

However, the final decision remains blocked within the Council of the European Union, leaving the current time adjustments in place for now.