Israel Shifts to Winter Time This Saturday Night
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Israel will switch to winter time this Saturday night, October 25, 2026, by moving clocks back one hour at 2:00 AM. This annual change, governed by a 2013 law, aligns with daylight hours and will last until March 2027. The national time is maintained by the Ministry of Economy's National Laboratory of Metrology using atomic clocks. The shift can affect mood and sleep due to changes in melatonin and serotonin levels.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel switches to winter time this Saturday night, October 25, 2026, moving clocks back one hour.
- The change aligns with daylight hours, providing more light in the morning during winter.
- Winter time will be in effect until the last Friday of March 2027.
- Dr. Oleg Popov oversees time and frequency measurements for Israel's national time.
- The shift can impact mood and sleep due to hormonal changes like melatonin and serotonin.
- Users of smartphones and tablets should ensure their devices are set to automatic time updates.
Israel will transition to winter time this coming Saturday night, October 25, 2026, between Saturday night and Sunday morning. At precisely 2:00 AM, clocks will be turned back one hour to 1:00 AM, granting citizens an extra hour of sleep. This change is mandated by the 2013 Time Determination Law, which stipulates that on the last Sunday of October each year, Israel adjusts its clocks backward by one hour. This period, known as winter time, is one of two time standards used in Israel. Winter time will remain in effect until the last Friday of March 2027, when clocks will be advanced by one hour for the transition to summer time.
The purpose of the time change is to align human activity with daylight hours. During summer, an extra hour of daylight is gained in the evening, while in winter, most people wake up after sunrise. Dr. Oleg Popov, Director of Time and Frequency Measurements at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, explained that Israel's official national time, marked as UTC(INPL), is synchronized with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Israel's local time is UTC+2 during winter and UTC+3 during summer.
The national time in Israel is determined by the National Laboratory of Metrology, which is part of the Ministry of Economy. This lab uses a specialized system to compare Israel's time measurements with those of other national laboratories worldwide 86,400 times daily. The laboratory houses three cesium atomic clocks, which serve as the country's official timekeepers and the national time standard.
The shift to shorter daylight hours in winter leads to increased melatonin levels in the body, potentially causing drowsiness and fatigue. Melatonin, often called the "darkness hormone," regulates sleep cycles to align with the biological clock. Serotonin, a hormone influencing mood and emotions, is also directly linked to light exposure, with reduced levels in winter potentially contributing to lower moods. Smartphone and tablet users are advised to ensure their devices are set to automatic time updates to reflect the change.
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