When do the clocks go forward? British Summertime begins by springing forward on March 29
Sad news folks. This weekend we all get one hour less asleep because on March 29 the clocks go forward, meaning we lose an hour on Sunday morning.
It's not all bad news – the fact we are “springing forward” means it is the official start of British Summertime, which after a winter of weatherbombs, snowmageddons and toxic smog, is no bad thing.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that losing that hour can be bad for you, and the disruption to your body clock can last for up to a week.
According to The Sleep Council's Lisa Artis: “Some people suffer with fatigue cognitive slowing, mood problems and slower reaction times when they miss out on sleep. Studies have shown an increase in heart attacks, traffic accidents and workplace injuries in the days following the shift to British Summer Time.”
If you suffer from this, her advice is to start preparing from this week – go to bed 10 or 15 minutes earlier each night, and wake up 10 to 15 minutes earlier each day.
“When Sunday arrives, you will already be adjusted,” she said. “This is particularly helpful for those with young children.”
She also recommends dimming the lights earlier on those nights and avoid bright screens in the evening.
If you're the sort of person who tends to have a lie-in at the weekends, you'll probably notice less of an impact.
“Stick to your regular hours, then that lost hour won't have such a big impact,” Artis said.
Failing that, other advice includes:
- Have an afternoon nap on Sunday
- If you have children, put them to bed an hour earlier
- Pre-set your clocks the night before so you aren't disorientated when you do wake up