File image. Photo: 123RF
It is almost time for daylight saving to come to an end, which means you could be getting an extra hour's sleep tomorrow morning.
Here's how to get your head around the changes.
When does daylight saving end in New Zealand?
This year, daylight saving will end at 3am on Sunday, 2 April.
Each year, daylight saving time ends at 3am on the first Sunday of April.
Are the clocks moving forwards or back?
Clocks will be moved back by a hour - which means an extra hour's sleep-in for your Sunday!
Do I have to change the time on my phone?
Probably not, because most smart phones will adjust to time zones automatically.
Here's how to check if your smartphone does this:
Android: Go into the clock app, tap more and then go into settings. Then go into change date & time, select set time zone automatically and then select use location to set time zone.
iPhone: Open settings, select general, to go date & time and make sure set automatically is turned on
Samsung: Open settings, go to general management, select date and time and then make sure automatic date and time is turned on. This should mean your phone will automatically reflect the time depending on which state or territory you're in.
What is the point of daylight saving?
The purpose of daylight saving is to make the most of the hours of daylight we are given by the changing seasons.
The tilt that the Earth sits on gives us our four seasons but it also means that we are exposed to more sun during the summer and less during winter.
So, when summer kicks in and the days get longer, many states set their clocks forward an hour to make the most of the sunlight and higher temperatures.
On the flip side, when we are coming into winter - like we are now - the Earth's tilt means we get fewer sunlight hours.
Do any other countries do daylight saving?
Yep!
About 70 countries around the world are on board the daylight saving train including Australia, the UK, Switzerland, Lebanon, Egypt and almost all the United States.
Daylight saving is often more common in countries closer to the poles of the earth because that is where the seasonal difference in daylight hours is the most extreme.
When will daylight saving begin in 2023?
For those wanting to get a head start on planning summer picnics, daylight saving will begin again on the first Sunday in October.
Daylight saving time officially starts again for those states participating at 2am on 25 September, 2023.
This is when clocks move forward one hour, to 3am New Zealand Standard Time.
- ABC / RNZ
