The temperatures are starting to drop, showing that summer is well and truly over – even if it’s not going quietly. Nonetheless, autumn is with us and that marks the end of British Summer Time (BST).
For those who aren’t a fan of dark mornings, that means you will gain one hour of sleep at least.
The custom of changing the clocks twice a year has been around in the UK for more than a century, taking place once in March and once in October.
There’s still a little while until the clocks change but the date is already known, as it always happens on the last Sunday of October.
In 2019, the European Parliament voted to scrap mandatory daylight saving but Britain has no plans to see the light, as it were.
This is what it means for the UK.
When do the clocks go back?
The clocks go back on Sunday, October 27, at 2am.
Usually, your smartphone and laptop will update automatically. However, analogue clocks and other digital clocks, like car and oven clocks, often need to be changed manually – so make sure they've been updated.
Why do the clocks go forward?
The custom of changing the clocks by an hour began more than 100 years ago. In 1916, Parliament passed the Summer Time Act, thereby creating BST.
It was the result of a campaign started in 1907 by William Willett, to stop people wasting valuable hours of light in the summer months and to save fuel during the war.
Germany was the first country to adopt the clock-changing plan in April that year and the UK followed in May.
While Daylight Savings Time is observed in most places in Europe, North America and Australasia, most places in Africa and Asia don't observe the practice.
Incidentally, Willett is an ancestor of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Whether or not this was the inspiration for the band’s song Clocks is up for debate on Genius.
When will the clocks go forward again?
The clocks will go forward on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
For the next three months, it will duly become ever darker until we reach winter solstice.
Meanwhile, the longest day next year, also known as the summer solstice, can be enjoyed on June 21.
How do clock changes impact our sleep rhythms?
Ever find it difficult to adjust your sleeping habits when the clocks change? It’s a common problem that many of us face.
“As the clocks go back and we transition out of British Summer Time, it’s important to understand how melatonin plays a key role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle,” Dr Tim Mercer, a NHS GP partner and GP trainer with Opera Beds, says. “Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland in the brain, and is released by light exposure.”
“During the evening and in darkness, the pineal gland increases melatonin production, signalling to the body that it’s time to sleep. Conversely, exposure to daylight suppresses melatonin production, keeping us more alert during the day.”
He continues that as it grows dark outside earlier after the clocks go back, our bodies may start producing melatonin earlier in the evening, which can make us feel sleepier earlier than usual. “This shift can lead to temporary disruptions in sleep patterns as your body adjusts to the new schedule.”
