Clocks go back 2026: how to protect your sleep when the clocks change

UK clocks go back one hour at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026, so 2am becomes 1am. You gain an hour in bed, but your body clock may still wake you at the old time for a few days. To protect your sleep, go to bed later in the days before, keep your wake-up time steady and get morning daylight.

This guide gives you a simple day-by-day plan for the week of the change, what to do on the Sunday itself, and how to look after your sleep and mood as the evenings get darker.

When do the clocks go back in 2026?

According to GOV.UK, UK clocks go back one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October, and forward one hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March. For the next year that means:

After the change, sunrise and sunset both happen an hour earlier by the clock. Mornings get a little lighter for a while, and evenings get dark noticeably sooner.

How does the clock change affect your sleep?

Your body runs on an internal clock, your circadian rhythm, which is set mainly by light. Changing the clock on the wall does not change the one inside you. For the first few days after the clocks go back, your body still thinks it is an hour later than the clock says.

In practice, that means you may feel sleepy an hour earlier in the evening and wake an hour earlier in the morning. If you usually wake naturally at 6am, you may find yourself wide awake at 5am.

Is the autumn change easier than the spring one?

Usually, yes. The Sleep Foundation says major sleep disruption is less likely when the clocks go back, and for many people it is a chance to get an extra hour of sleep. Still, some people struggle to adjust to the new wake-up time. The effects usually fade over a few days or weeks, and the Sleep Foundation's guide to adjusting notes you may take a week or longer.

It also points out that one extra hour does not cancel out a backlog of short nights. If you have been running on too little sleep, the change is a good moment to reset your routine rather than a one-off lie-in.

What about mood and the darker evenings?

The shift to earlier sunsets is abrupt. A 2017 Danish study of 185,419 hospital contacts for depression found the move from summer time to standard time was associated with an 11% rise in new depressive episodes, an effect that faded over about 10 weeks. The spring change showed no matching rise. The authors suggest that the sudden earlier sunset, marking the start of a long run of short days, may be distressing. This is an association in one country's hospital data, not proof that the clock change causes depression, but it is a good reason to plan for the darker months.

Sleep specialists also have a view on the bigger picture. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2020 position statement argues that seasonal clock changes should end in favour of permanent standard time, because standard time is better aligned with human circadian biology.

How to prepare in the week before the clocks go back

The Sleep Charity recommends going to bed and getting up 10 to 15 minutes later each day in the week before the change. Here is one way to do it, moving 10 minutes a night from Monday 19 October:

If work or family make later mornings impossible, just move your bedtime and keep your alarm where it is for a few nights. If you are reading this late in the week, three nights of 15-minute steps still help. The aim is to avoid one sudden jump.

What to do on Sunday 25 October

1. Get up at your usual time on the new clock. The Sleep Charity advises against extra-long lie-ins, because oversleeping can make it harder to adjust.
2. Get outside early. Morning light is especially helpful for resetting your circadian rhythm. The Sleep Charity suggests at least 20 minutes outdoors each morning. A walk, a run or coffee in the garden all count.
3. Keep meals at normal clock times. Eating to the new clock helps the rest of your routine follow.
4. Avoid a long afternoon nap. If you are flagging, keep any nap short and early so it does not push your bedtime later.
5. Go to bed at your normal time on the new clock. If you feel sleepy earlier, try to stay up until close to your usual time.

How to protect your sleep in the weeks after

The NHS Every Mind Matters sleep guide covers the habits that matter most once the clocks have changed:

• Keep regular times. Going to bed and getting up at similar times each day helps your body know when it is time to sleep. This matters more than ever while your body clock catches up.
• Put screens down an hour before bed. The NHS says the blue light from screens can make it harder to fall asleep.
• Watch caffeine and alcohol. The Sleep Charity suggests avoiding caffeine after mid-afternoon, and the NHS suggests avoiding alcohol and nicotine for 1 to 2 hours before bed. Our guide on how to get more deep sleep explains what the research says about both.
• Stay active. Regular exercise helps sleep. With darker evenings, a lunchtime walk or run also gets you daylight when it is scarce.
• Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet. The Sleep Charity suggests a bedroom temperature of 16 to 18°C through the winter.

Look after your mood as the days shorten

Get as much natural light as you can during the day, especially in the morning. If you notice low mood, loss of interest, sleeping more than usual or a bigger appetite that keeps coming back each winter, the NHS describes these as possible signs of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and advises seeing a GP. Treatments include talking therapies and antidepressants. Light therapy boxes are not usually available on the NHS because the evidence is limited, and the NHS suggests checking with your GP before trying one.

How to tell whether you have adjusted

You will know you have adjusted when you wake close to your alarm, feel sleepy near your usual bedtime and stop feeling foggy mid-morning. A sleep tracker lets you check this against numbers rather than guesswork. Watch your bedtime, wake time, total sleep and resting heart rate over the two weeks after the change and see when they settle back to normal. If you want to know what the stage breakdown on your tracker actually means, read our guide to sleep stages.

Frequently asked questions

What time do the clocks go back in October 2026?

UK clocks go back one hour at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026, so the time becomes 1am. This ends British Summer Time and returns the UK to Greenwich Mean Time. Smartphones and computers usually update automatically, but you will need to change ovens, car clocks and some watches yourself. The clocks go forward again on Sunday 28 March 2027.

Do you get an extra hour of sleep when the clocks go back?

You get an extra hour on the Saturday night if you go to bed at your usual time and get up at your usual time on the new clock. In practice, many people wake an hour early because their body clock has not changed yet. One extra hour also does not make up for weeks of short sleep, so treat the change as a chance to reset your routine.

How long does it take to adjust when the clocks go back?

For most people the effects fade over a few days, and the autumn change is usually easier than the spring one. Some people, especially those who wake early naturally, take a week or longer. Shifting your bedtime gradually in the week before, keeping a steady wake-up time and getting morning daylight all help you adjust faster.

Should I go to bed later before the clocks go back?

Yes, gradually. The Sleep Charity recommends going to bed and getting up 10 to 15 minutes later each day in the week before the change. By Saturday night you will be close to an hour later, so when the clocks go back your body is already on the new time. If you cannot move your wake-up time, moving just your bedtime still helps.

Can the clocks going back affect your mood?

It can for some people. A large Danish study found the switch from summer time to standard time was linked to an 11% rise in new hospital contacts for depression, which faded over about 10 weeks. Getting daylight each morning, staying active and keeping regular sleep times all help. If low mood lasts or returns each winter, speak to your GP.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. PulseRing Pro is a wellness device, not a medical device, and does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you are worried about your health, speak to your GP or a qualified clinician.