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Tick-tock – this Sunday (28th March) marks the start of daylight saving time. And while many of us may mourn the loss of our beloved hour in bed, we’ve got the lighter evenings and better weather to look forward to.
Losing an hour of sleep can make you feel tired though, so it pays to prepare for the time change. That way, you can make the most of the extra hour.
Why do the clocks go forward?
The decision to move the clocks forward came about during World War I to make more use of daytime hours and save coal. The Summer Time Act was passed and the clocks officially went forward by one hour for the first time on Sunday, 21st May 1916.
How will the clocks going forward affect you?
Studies have shown that feeling tired can affect mood and concentration levels. If you prepare yourself before the clocks go forward and get the recommended seven to nine hours of good quality sleep each night, you should wake up feeling refreshed. However, if you already suffer from sleep deprivation due to a condition such as sleep apnoea, you could find this a difficult time. 
What can you do to prepare yourself for the time change?
There are a few things you can do to get ready for the shift in time:
- Start going to bed a little bit earlier a few nights before the clocks go forward to help your body adapt to the change.
- Make up for sleep loss by getting into bed earlier on Sunday night, so that you’ll feel less tired on Monday morning.
- Avoid light when it’s time to sleep. Keep your bedroom dark and don’t switch on a bright light if you need to get up to go to the bathroom.
- Set the new time on all of your clocks before you go to bed, so that you’ll know what the correct time is when you wake up.
When will your body adjust to the time change?
At first your internal body clock will be out of sync with the new day-night cycle. According to the experts it can take from one day to a week to adjust to the time change, but that’ll all depend on your personal health, lifestyle and sleeping habits.
