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Changing the clocks can sometimes disrupt your daily routine. So, let's take some time to understand why this is and how you can adjust with it
Summary
1What happens when the clock goes back?
Let’s turn back time... When the clocks go back by one hour, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This happens at...
2Changes to our mood and health
With the sudden jolt of the clocks changing, our circadian rhythms can be thrown off. This can negatively affect...
3Keeping our sleep in check
Did you know that for most healthy adults your circadian clock resets every 24 hours? The Sleep Foundation suggests...
Are you more likely to spring into action, or fall back to sleep?
When the clocks ‘fall back’, we gain an extra hour in the morning. And when the clocks ‘spring forward’, we essentially lose an hour in the morning but gain longer, lighter evenings. However, does this slight shift of timings have a greater impact on us?
Let’s find out exactly what happens when the clocks change and how it can affect us. We’ll also look at the ways we can combat the effects of these annual time adjustments.
What happens when the clocks go back?
Let’s turn back time... When the clocks go back by one hour, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).1 This happens at 2am on the last Sunday in October.
Have you heard of ‘equinox’? It’s an event in which a planet’s subsolar point passes through its Equator. The equinoxes are the only time when both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere experience roughly equal amounts of both daytime and nighttime.2
The dates of when the clocks change line up roughly with the equinoxes, but with a slight bias towards keeping light evenings through September.3
What happens when the clocks go forward?
In the UK the clocks go forward one hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March (unless that’s Easter Sunday).
When the clocks are one hour ahead, it’s called British Summer Time (BST). Meaning there’s more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings (sometimes called Daylight Saving Time).1
Changes to our mood and health
Daylight Saving Time (DST) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) can affect our circadian rhythm (our body clock). With the sudden jolt of the clocks changing, our circadian rhythms can be thrown off. This can negatively affect mood, health and productivity.4
Following a 24-hour cycle, circadian rhythms are the physical, mental and behavioural changes that occur in our bodies. Circadian rhythms respond primarily to light and dark, and affect most living things, including animals, plants and microbes.5
Keeping your sleep in check
Did you know that for most healthy adults your circadian clock resets every 24 hours?6
The Sleep Foundation suggests that during the days and weeks leading up to the clock changing, you can prepare yourself for the adjustment by making a few changes:7
- practice good sleep hygiene (things that can influence sleep for better or worse)
- establish a consistent sleep routine
- gradually alter your bedtime routine
- spend time outdoors
- nap in moderation
- don’t consume caffeine too close to bedtime
However, if you’re still struggling, we offer a range of products that might provide a little helping hand when it comes to waking up and drifting off.
Cosy up in the evenings with a comforting mug of Twinings Superblends Sleep Tea. A spiced apple and vanilla flavoured herbal infusion with chamomile and passionflower. Smooth and warming, this tea makes the perfect addition to your bedtime routine.
BetterYou Magnesium Sleep Spray 100ml combines magnesium with chamomile, bergamot, and clary sage, aromas to soothe the senses while giving a calming and relaxing effect. Spray on your body and massage well into your skin to stimulate absorption – ideal after showering or before sleep.
One of the best essential oils for sleep, lavender is popularly recommended to those who find dropping off difficult.8 Try out Miaroma Lavender Pure Essential Oil 10ml and create a peaceful and calming experience in your bedroom that leaves you feeling relaxed. Add to a bedside diffuser, use in a massage, or pop just a couple of drops on the underside of your pillow or in your bath.
The Beurer Portable Daylight Therapy Lamp can provide your body with the daylight it misses during the darker months. It’s perfect to position on your desk at work or on your breakfast table to help improve mood and energy levels.
And not to mention Astro Dust Chocolate Superfood Powder 240g. This super versatile and convenient all-in-one mushroom and adaptogenic blend has lots of important vitamins and may be worth adding to your winding down routine.
But that’s not all, we have more dreamy options in our favourite products for a restful sleep.
The final say
Feeling a bit more prepared for when the clocks change? We second that.
With a newly adjusted morning or night-time routine – and with the help of our recommended products – you’ll be able to adapt round the clock.
For further questions on sleep, head over to our article we answer your most Googled questions on sleep.
If you really feel out of sync due to these time adjustments, or experience low mood as a result, then it’s best you speak to your GP. They can advise on what is best for you.
If you’re struggling with your mental wellbeing, your first port of call should be to those who can support you, including your GP.
The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies.
- Government Digital Service. When do the clocks change? [Internet]. GOV.UK. 2016. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/when-do-the-clocks-change
- National Geographic. Equinox [Internet]. education.nationalgeographic.org. 2023. Available from: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/equinox/
- National Geographic. Equinox [Internet]. education.nationalgeographic.org. 2023. Available from: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/equinox/
- Rishi MA, Ahmed O, Barrantes Perez JH, Berneking M, Dombrowsky J, Flynn-Evans EE, et al. Daylight saving time: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2020 Aug 26;16(10).
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Circadian Rhythms [Internet]. National Institute of General Medical Sciences. 2022. Available from: https://nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/Circadian-Rhythms.aspx
- Pacheco D. Can You Change Your Circadian Rhythm? [Internet]. Sleep Foundation. 2023. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/can-you-change-your-circadian-rhythm
- Pacheco D. Daylight Saving Time - How Time Change Affects Sleep [Internet]. Sleep Foundation. 2020. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/daylight-saving-time
- Karadag E, Samancioglu S, Ozden D, Bakir E. Effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality and anxiety of patients. Nursing in Critical Care. 2015 Jul 27;22(2):105–12.
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