The change to daylight saving time in Spain occurs in the early morning of Sunday, March 29, 2026. At that moment, clocks are moved forward one hour: at 2:00 they become 3:00.
This adjustment implies that that night one sleeps one hour less, but in return more light is gained in the afternoon during the spring and summer months.
It is a fixed date within the European calendar: it always takes place on the last Sunday of March, while the reverse change (to winter time) is made on the last Sunday of October.
At what time exactly the clock is changed
The most searched doubt each year is always the same: at what time does the time change? The answer is clear:
At 2:00 in the morning they become 3:00
In the Canary Islands, the change occurs an hour earlier: at 1:00 they become 2:00.
An hour of sleep is lost that night
The clock is moved forward an hour
Why the time is changed and since when
The time change has its origin in Europe during the First World War, when several countries began to modify clocks to better utilize natural light and reduce energy consumption.
In Spain, although it was applied intermittently for decades, it was established continuously from 1974, in the midst of the oil crisis.
Since then, the system remains practically the same, with adjustments in March and October to adapt the activity to daylight hours.
How the time change affects people
Although the time change is routine, its impact is not neutral.
Various studies point to effects in the subsequent days:
- Sleep disturbances
- Feeling of fatigue
- Irritability or reduced concentration
- Increased risk of accidents in the following days
The reason is simple: the human body functions with a biological clock that does not adapt immediately to these changes.
Is the time change going to be eliminated in Europe?
The debate remains open. In 2018, the European Commission proposed eliminating the time change after a public consultation in which the majority of citizens showed themselves to be in favor. However, the lack of agreement among countries has paralyzed the decision.
As of today, the time change remains in effect in all the European Union, and there is no defined date for its elimination.