Managing the Clock Change

How the Time Change Affects Your Sleep

By Lindsay Browning

On Sunday 25 October 2026, the clocks go back by one hour at 2am, marking the end of British Summer Time. While the change means an extra hour in bed, it can also temporarily disrupt our sleep patterns as our bodies adjust to the new time.

The shift in daylight can affect our internal body clock, known as our circadian rhythm, leaving some people struggling to fall asleep at their usual bedtime or waking earlier than intended.

Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist and sleep expert for And So To Bed, explains how the clocks changing can affect our sleep and shares her expert advice on making the transition smoother.

 

How Does the Clock Change Affect Our Sleep?

Our circadian rhythm regulates when we feel sleepy and awake and is strongly influenced by natural light. When the clocks go back, the sudden shift can temporarily disrupt this rhythm, leaving some people waking earlier than usual or struggling to fall asleep.

Dr Lindsay Browning explains:

"If you can, in the days leading up to the clocks going back, gradually shift your bedtime and waketime later each day. By Saturday night you should aim to be going to bed an hour later than normal and then, when the clocks change overnight, your usual waketime will feel natural. This pre-planning helps your body adapt more gradually, rather than one large change at once, which is less disruptive to sleep and energy levels."

"If you don't alter your regular bedtime and waketime in advance of the clocks change, you may find that you wake up too early on Sunday morning and find yourself tossing and turning in bed until the alarm goes off. This can leave you feeling tired during the day, as though you didn't have a good night's sleep."

Natural daylight also plays an important role in helping our bodies adjust. Dr Browning recommends opening your curtains as soon as you wake up and spending time outdoors in the morning or at lunchtime.

"Exposure to natural light in the morning can help you feel more awake and energised by suppressing any remaining melatonin and helps anchor your body clock to the new time."

Alongside adjusting your sleep schedule, gradually moving your mealtimes later can also help reinforce the new routine. Regular mealtimes act as additional signals to the body's internal clocks, particularly those involved in digestion and metabolism.

Six Simple Habits for Better Sleep

Beyond the clock change, maintaining good sleep hygiene can help support more consistent, restorative sleep throughout the year.

1. Have a regular bedtime and wake time throughout the week

When you keep a regular sleep schedule, your body develops a robust circadian rhythm that helps you to sleep at the right time at night. If you wake up and go to bed early but stay up late and have a lie-in on the weekend, you are giving yourself weekend ‘jetlag’, making it much harder to go to sleep early on a Sunday night ready for Monday morning.

2. Use your bed for sleep (and sex) only

Using your bed to do work in or to watch TV means that your brain can start to associate it with wakefulness. By keeping the bed as a place for sleep, your brain maintains a strong link between your bed and sleep, making it easier to fall asleep when you want to.

Also, making sure your bedroom is a tidy, peaceful and calming environment for you to escape to at night is essential for a good night’s sleep. It ensures your brain and body associate this room with rest and relaxation.

3. Stop your caffeine intake at 2pm

Caffeine has an average half-life of around six hours, meaning it is still in your system well after you’ve had a cup of coffee. If you consume caffeine late in the day and have trouble sleeping, try to have your last cup around 2pm. Remember, caffeine isn’t only found in tea and coffee, but also in chocolate and soft drinks, including the sugar-free varieties.  

4. Increase your exercise levels

Regular exercise is linked to better quality sleep, with fewer awakenings during the night. However, try to avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime, as vigorous exercise within 90 minutes of sleep can sometimes disrupt sleep due to the stimulating effects of endorphins and adrenaline, as well as increased body temperature.

5. Have a wind-down time before bed

Trying to sleep immediately after doing something stressful or overstimulating can mean that your mind is too active to allow you to fall asleep. Instead, spend around 30 minutes before bed doing something calming and relaxing.

Having a warm bath before bed helps you to wind down, while the bath’s temperature makes you feel sleepier. This is because you artificially raise your body temperature when you’re in the bath and encourage it to naturally start to drop when you come out, mimicking the process that happens as you fall asleep.

6. Don’t stay in bed if you can’t sleep

If you’re unable to sleep, lying in bed trying to sleep is one of the worst things you can do. The longer you lie in bed, the more anxious you are likely to get about not being able to sleep. Instead, get up and do something pleasant and engaging for at least 20 minutes before going back to bed when you feel sleepy.

For more expert advice from Dr Lindsay Browning, explore our sleep guides and discover why sleep is your superpower.

Dr Lindsay Browning is And So To Bed's Sleep Ambassador, a chartered psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep expert with a doctorate in insomnia from the University of Oxford. Author of Navigating Sleeplessness, she specialises in evidence-based sleep advice and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), helping people achieve better sleep through expert guidance and practical advice. 

Posted by Dr Lindsay Browning
19th October 2026

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