On the eve of the spring transfer of arrows, AiF decided to find out whether it is worth eliminating “winter” and “summer” time in Ukraine as well.
A light bulb is not a rival to the sun
In the last century, the purpose of changing clocks was economic gain. But, according to expert of the International Center for Consumer Expertise and Advanced Research Alexander Zholud, this has been out of date for a long time. After all, now the cost of electricity for lighting is negligible, the main part of the electricity is "eaten up" by computer equipment and household appliances, the operation of which does not depend on the time of day. And in industrial production electricity around the clock ensures the functioning of powerful units. So there are no savings in factories. But the tension in the days of moving the hands of the clock in some areas of activity makes itself felt. Transport workers especially feel it. Railway workers and aviators suffer the most - for them the slightest discrepancy in time can turn into tragedies with considerable human casualties. The expert is sure that we also need to abandon the so-called seasonal time. After all, the West took this step even earlier than Russia.
Head of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Mykola Kulbida I am also sure that the benefit from the translation of the clock, if any, is scanty. More problems. This is the poor health of people, and the failure of the working rhythm. By the way, in the work of such a serious department as the Hydrometeorological Center, there are also inconsistencies on the days of the clock change. Forecasters' observations are tied to international coordinated time, and "an hour ago" or "an hour ahead" requires a certain "adjustment". According to Nikolai Ivanovich, winter time is closest to the biologically natural time of Ukrainians. It makes sense to leave it.
The rhythm goes astray
Scientists about the expediency of the translation of the arrows shrug. "Unfortunately, there is not a single scientific justification for this issue," he said. Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Director of the Institute of Occupational Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine Yuriy Kundiev. - But if you just think sensibly, then artificially creating time by changing the clock twice a year is not worth it. Animals, plants and people have always been guided by the sun. A kind of temporal stereotype has developed. Changing the clock is, according to Pavlov, breaking such a stereotype with all the ensuing consequences for human health.
And even if this breakdown does not last long, only a few days, anyway, according to the scientist, it has a negative impact. Particularly sensitive people may even develop symptoms of a disease such as desynchronosis. This is an occupational disease of sailors, truckers, travelers. Its symptoms are sleep disturbance, increased fatigue, irritability, inattention, decreased creative thinking, mood swings from apathy to a sharp revival, gastrointestinal discomfort, lack of appetite, headache, increased heart rate, pain in the heart, decreased potency in men and frigidity in women.
Yuri Ilyich also believes that one decree of the head of state, as in Russia, is still not enough to solve such important question in the life of society, as a rejection of the seasonal translation of the arrows. Scientific justification is needed. First of all, the answer should be given: is it necessary for the last time this spring to speed up the clock by an hour, as the Russians did. Moreover, it would be worthwhile to hurry up with the conclusions: the next transfer of arrows is just around the corner.
BY THE WAY
For the first time, moving the clock hands forward one hour in summer and one hour back in winter began in Great Britain in 1908 to save electricity. But the idea itself belongs to the US President, one of the authors of the US Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin. In his country, the changeover to seasonal time began in 1918.
Now the translation of arrows, depending on the time of year, is carried out in more than 80 of 192 countries of the world.
On June 16, 1930, the so-called "maternity leave" was introduced in the USSR. Then the hands of the clock were moved one hour ahead of standard time. Then they were never returned. And the country of the Soviets was an hour ahead of the natural daily cycle all year round. And in 1981, the USSR switched to seasonal time.
After the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine in 1990 switched to its own time (1 hour difference with Moscow), coinciding with the standard time, continuing to move the clock another hour in the fall and spring - forward or backward.
Now more and more countries are abandoning seasonal time changes. Japan was one of the first to abandon watch savings as early as 1952.
On the eve of the spring transfer of arrows, AiF decided to find out whether it is worth eliminating the “winter” and “summer” time in Ukraine as well.
A light bulb is not a rival to the sun
In the last century, the purpose of changing clocks was economic gain. But, according to the expert of the International Center for Consumer Expertise and Advanced Research Alexander Zholud, this is no longer relevant. After all, now the cost of electricity for lighting is negligible, the main part of the electricity is "eaten up" by computer equipment and household appliances, the operation of which does not depend on the time of day. And in the industrial production of electricity around the clock ensures the functioning of powerful units. So there are no savings in factories. But the tension in the days of moving the hands of the clock in some areas of activity makes itself felt. Transport workers especially feel it. Railway workers and aviators suffer the most - for them the slightest discrepancy in time can turn into tragedies with considerable human casualties. The expert is sure that we also need to abandon the so-called seasonal time. After all, the West took this step even earlier than Russia.
Head of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Mykola Kulbid A I am also sure that the benefit from the translation of the clock, if any, is scanty. More problems. This is the poor health of people, and the failure of the working rhythm. By the way, in the work of such a serious department as the Hydrometeorological Center, there are also inconsistencies on the days of the clock change. Forecasters' observations are tied to international coordinated time, and "an hour ago" or "an hour ahead" requires a certain "adjustment". According to Nikolai Ivanovich, winter time is closest to the biologically natural time of Ukrainians. It makes sense to leave it.
The rhythm goes astray
Scientists about the expediency of the translation of the arrows shrug. “Unfortunately, there is not a single scientific substantiation on this issue,” said Yuriy Kundiev, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, director of the Institute of Occupational Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. - But if you just think sensibly, then artificially creating time by changing the clock twice a year is not worth it. Animals, plants and people have always been guided by the sun. A kind of temporal stereotype has developed. Changing the clock is, according to Pavlov, breaking such a stereotype with all the ensuing consequences for human health.
And even if this breakdown does not last long, only a few days, anyway, according to the scientist, it has a negative impact. Particularly sensitive people may even develop symptoms of a disease such as desynchronosis. This is an occupational disease of sailors, truckers, travelers. Its symptoms are sleep disturbance, increased fatigue, irritability, inattention, decreased creative thinking, mood swings from apathy to a sharp revival, gastrointestinal discomfort, lack of appetite, headache, increased heart rate, heart pain, decreased potency in men and frigidity in women.
Yuri Ilyich also believes that one decree of the head of state, as in Russia, is still not enough to resolve such an important issue in the life of society as the rejection of seasonal switching. Scientific justification is needed. First of all, the answer should be given: is it necessary for the last time this spring to speed up the clock by an hour, as the Russians did. Moreover, it would be worthwhile to hurry up with the conclusions: the next transfer of arrows is just around the corner.
By the way
For the first time, moving the clock hands forward one hour in summer and one hour back in winter began in Great Britain in 1908 to save electricity. But the idea itself belongs to the US President, one of the authors of the US Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin. In his country, the changeover to seasonal time began in 1918.
Now the translation of arrows, depending on the time of year, is carried out in more than 80 of 192 countries of the world.
On June 16, 1930, the so-called "maternity leave" was introduced in the USSR. Then the hands of the clock were moved one hour ahead of standard time. Then they were never returned. And the country of the Soviets was an hour ahead of the natural daily cycle all year round. And in 1981, the USSR switched to seasonal time.
After the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine in 1990 switched to its own time (1 hour difference with Moscow), coinciding with the standard time, continuing to move the clock another hour in the fall and spring - forward or backward.
Now more and more countries are abandoning seasonal time changes. Japan was one of the first to abandon watch savings as early as 1952.
Have been going on for a long time. Doctors are trying to prove the harm of this action, and industrialists go on about the supposedly colossal economic benefits. Let's try to figure it out.
The clock hands are translated twice a year in more than 100 countries of the world. This is done in order to save energy. Transfer is carried out at night to avoid overlaps in air and rail traffic. But in medical circles, disputes about the impact on the state of health of this economically justified measure do not subside.
Negative from the clock change
Scientists around the world are constantly researching the impact of clock shifting on human health. The results of the research are as follows: a violation of the natural rhythm of life negatively affects the body, however, the degree of impact depends on physical health. So, for example, it was noticed that after the transfer of the arrows, there is a surge in the exacerbation of such diseases as hypertension, osteochondrosis, arthritis, etc. But even absolutely healthy people note general malaise, increased fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritability, etc. This, in turn, leads to a weakening of the body, it is necessary to take measures to increase immunity. The consequences that the notorious fatigue and drowsiness cause are frightening: the number of accidents at work, road accidents, suicides, domestic quarrels, etc. is sharply increasing.
Daylight Saving Time
All these troubles people associate with the transition to winter or summer time. At the same time, the most it hurts to change the clock from winter to summer time, when the night becomes shorter by 1 hour. Scientists believe that this is due not only to the fact that a person has to sleep less, but also to the fact that winter time is natural, according to which all life on earth lives. It is noteworthy that some researchers have found that in the first days after the transition to winter time, people are much less likely to complain, in particular, of an increase in blood pressure. This once again proves that the human body thus “welcomes” the return to the time according to which all living nature lives.
It is noted that even healthy children react negatively to the translation of the arrows, although they quickly adapt to the new rhythm of life. 2-3 days after the transition to another time, children enter their usual mode, while many parents note that their child becomes lethargic, capricious, less interested in the outside world. And, if parents at home make an adjustment for an hour in the daily routine, then this does not happen in children's institutions, which is difficult for children to tolerate.
Potential benefit from translating arrows
And in conclusion, I would like to say about the benefit from the clock change to which our state aspires. In fact, the savings are not so solid. According to various estimates, per capita savings do not even reach 100 kWh. For today in central region In Russia, the cost of 1 kWh varies from 1.9 to 3 rubles. So it turns out that everyone saves a maximum of 300 rubles for the state. Is it justified? The amount is absolutely insignificant for any resident of Russia.
Supporters of the clock change argue that at this time the health status of only those who have chronic diseases worsens, and the adaptation period lasts no more than 3 days. Probably, they do not think that there are much more citizens with certain health problems than healthy ones. And officials are unlikely to take into account that we lose much more by sitting on forced sick leave. Yes, and the purchase of drugs takes much more than 300 rubles a year. So it turns out that, saving for the state, we sacrifice both our budget and our health.
At the end of 2011, Russia moved the clock forward one hour and switched to summer time, introduced in the USSR in 1981. The fall return to "normal" times has been cancelled. The country began to operate a time calculation system that was ahead of astronomical time by two hours.
This reform from the very beginning caused an ambiguous attitude among the inhabitants of Russia. Many complained of fatigue and lack of sleep. Children were forced to go to kindergartens and schools in the dark.
And here's the good news. Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 21, 2014 signed the law on the transition to winter time.
According to the law, on October 26 at 02.00 in most subjects of the Russian Federation, the clocks were set back an hour and there will be no further seasonal translation of the hands.
Apparently common sense took over the ephemeral benefits.
Analysts have counted seven initiatives by ex-president Medvedev, which are curtailed by the current president. One of them is the abolition of the transfer of hour hands to winter time. Another time reform that affected Russia was carried out in the summer of 2011. By presidential decree, the whole country, having changed the clocks to daylight saving time in the spring, remained in it forever. After the reform, the difference between clock and astronomical time was two hours. But such a difference, instead of the expected economic effect and favorable impact on the health of citizens, brought a number of inconveniences and became a reason for discussion. Practice has shown an ambiguous perception by people of the change in the temporary regime, which has become familiar. show that many Russians, especially in the eastern regions, consider the permanent transition to daylight saving time inappropriate.
Citizens express their dissatisfaction based on personal feelings and impressions. Many people are not happy with the fact that they spend at work and leave home and return in the dark. The cancellation of the transition to winter time has caused chronic sleep deprivation and fatigue. Reliable information about negative impact life according to summer time on the health of citizens official science does not voice. But, nevertheless, many people recognize such a temporary regime as uncomfortable and advocate approaching the average. The President of Russia is among them.
Undoubtedly, adaptation to constant seasonal changes in the time cycle at the moments of transition from summer to winter time negatively affects the population. It is difficult to find at least one person who has not experienced the “charms” of adaptation. Moreover, according to doctors, in the first days after the transition to a new hourly schedule, the number of ambulance calls increases, stress resistance decreases, and the number of heart attacks increases. At the same time, the transition to daylight saving time and vice versa does not give a special economic effect. But even a two-hour difference with the biological one does not cause optimism.
Precisely because such a reform of the time did not justify itself, in September 2012 a draft of a new law was submitted to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, and subsequently redirected to the government. The cancellation of daylight saving time was initiated by S.Kalashnikov, Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The bill, as noted by its author, is relevant and requires prompt consideration and support. The chief sanitary doctor of Russia G. Onishchenko admitted that the return of the country to astronomical time would be the most natural for the population. He also expressed the opinion that the transition to seasonal time for the sake of the economy and to the detriment of health is inappropriate. Thus, the abolition of daylight saving time is a matter of time and common sense. Considering that not only comfort, but also the health of citizens depends on the decision of the government, it remains to hope for a comprehensive and in-depth study of the problem by statesmen.
The first persons of the state have already expressed their point of view. The President noted that he does not like to live like summer in winter. He left the consideration of the bill in A. Prime Minister Medvedev, in response to journalists' questions, suggested holding a vote in a number of regions on the advisability of a new temporary system. He also acknowledged that daylight saving time is a matter of choice, and if people are in favor of abolishing the reform, then so be it.
IN THE USSR seasonal transfer the shooter began to practice since 1981. To date, this is carried out by the countries of the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, North America and Mexico. In total, 78 states use daylight saving time.
