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Topics: Life, Life Hacks, Health
Simon Fearn
It’s almost that time again, folks. We’ll very shortly have to remember to change all the clocks in our house as British Summer Times comes to an end.
Not only does this mean it’s going to start getting darker much earlier in the evening, changing the clocks has been linked to low mood, disrupted sleep and even an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
So are we losing or gaining an hour of sleep? And how can you prepare for the change?
British Summer Time, or daylight saving time, has been in place for more than 100 years - kicking off in 1916.
British builder William Willett - the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay’s Chris Martin, trivia lovers - published a pamphlet in 1907 called ‘The Waste of Daylight’, arguing that we were losing precious sunlight while we were all tucked up in bed.
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More sunlight means less electricity used.
The idea was to increase the amount of daylight in the evening in summer by ‘borrowing’ an hour from the morning.
Despite us changing the clocks for over a century, people still debate whether we should ditch British Summer Time altogether.
But, for now, change seems unlikely, with 70 countries around the world using daylight saving time.
British Summer Time begins on the last Sunday of March, and ends on the last Sunday in October.
This year, that’s Sunday 27 October.
A handy way to remember this is by saying the clocks ‘spring forward’ and ‘fall back’ - so this Sunday the clocks are set to go back, meaning we get an extra hour in bed and signalling the start of autumn.
Woo: spooky season, hot chocolate, scented candles. Boo: nosediving temperatures, time running out to sort out your Christmas shopping.
As mentioned, the clocks changing can play havoc with our circadian rhythms, but fortunately there are some simple tricks to prepare.
Getting fresh air and avoiding caffeine are recommended, as is avoiding ‘blue light’ from your phone or laptop just before bedtime.
Sleep expert James Wilson, speaking on behalf of Mattress Online, advised: “For many of us the biggest issue with the clocks changing is the stress it causes us.
“If you’re worrying about getting to sleep, then try some self-care to relax before bed. This could be listening to calming music, reading a book or taking a warm bath.”
He added: "One thing to consider though, is that on Sunday night don’t delay going to bed to fall asleep at your ‘normal’ time.
"Your normal time that night will be an hour later than the day before, so it’s important to go to bed when you feel sleepy.”