That extra hour of sleep sounds like a gift. Then Monday arrives, it feels like evening by late afternoon, your energy has vanished, and the routine you built so carefully in October suddenly belongs to another season.
If the clock change flattens you every year, you’re not being dramatic. Your body clock genuinely needs time to catch up. The good news is that a few small, early adjustments make the transition far gentler.
This guide covers when the clocks change in 2026, why it hits harder than the “extra hour” suggests, and a simple plan built on health-service advice rather than wellness hype.
When Do the Clocks Go Back in 2026?
In the UK, clocks go back on 25 October 2026 at 2am, ending British Summer Time and returning to Greenwich Mean Time. Most of Europe, Italy included, changes on the same night as summer time ends. In the United States and Canada, the change comes a week later, on Sunday 1 November. britbriefmanchesterindependent
So if you’re reading this in mid-October, you have about a week to prepare. That matters, because preparation is where most of the benefit lives.
Why the “Extra Hour” Doesn’t Feel Like a Gift
Many of us assume that gaining an hour makes up for lost sleep. It doesn’t work that way. As the charity Change Mental Health explains, your body clock doesn’t adjust immediately, so the disruption can bring sleep disturbances and extra sleepiness in the following days. The same source notes that the change can make symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and low mood worse for some people. britbrief
There’s also a practical problem. Your whole day is anchored to the clock: breakfast, commute, workout, dinner, bedtime. When the clock moves but the light doesn’t, every anchor shifts at once. That’s why the change can feel like jet lag without leaving home.
I explored the mind-and-body side of seasonal change in The Science of the Autumn Reset. This article is the practical, “what do I do this week” companion to it.
Moving to the UK from the very sunny South of Italy changed my life, and it taught me, on my own skin, how deeply the first dark evenings can affect me. My energy drops, my mood dips, and in the past my health felt it too. These days I don’t wait for the slump to arrive. I prepare for it, I listen closely to my body’s signals, and I create small, healthy sparks of dopamine with extra walks and workouts. It isn’t about fighting winter. It’s about knowing myself well enough to meet it with a plan.
Step 1: Start Shifting a Week Early
The most useful tip I found is also the simplest. Rather than waiting for the night itself, gradually adjust your sleep schedule in the week before the clocks change, going to bed 15 or 20 minutes later than usual so your body clock adjusts to the new bedtime. sussexexpress
Think of it as a slow dimmer switch instead of a light switch:
- Days 1–2: bedtime 15 minutes later
- Days 3–4: another 15 minutes later
- Days 5–6: one more small step
- Clock change night: you’re already close, so the jump barely registers
Small steps are easier to keep than big ones, which is the same principle behind everything in the October reset routine: start tiny, stay consistent.
Step 2: Protect Your Wake-Up Time
If you protect one thing, protect your wake-up time. NHS patient guidance recommends setting an alarm and getting up at the same time each morning, however much sleep you’ve had, and getting outdoors during the day. nhslothian
This works because a stable wake time is the strongest signal your body clock receives. A rough night followed by a long lie-in feels kind, but it often pushes the problem further into the week.
A practical approach for the first few days after the change:
- Set your alarm for your new usual time, not an hour later “to make up for it.”
- Open the curtains immediately.
- Drink a glass of water before checking your phone.
If your phone is the first thing you reach for, you may recognise the pattern. Blogger Matthias Frank traced the loss of his morning routine to exactly that habit: checking his phone first thing filled his head with other people’s content and turned his routine into a chore. His full story is on his blog. matthiasfrank
Step 3: Rebuild Your Wind-Down Hour
When evenings get dark earlier, it’s tempting to slump on the sofa with a screen until bed. Your body then receives no clear signal that the day is ending.
The NHS Every Mind Matters guidance recommends a regular sleep routine and a calm bedtime routine, writing down worries to clear your mind, and keeping your phone face down in the bedroom. It also suggests that if you’re still awake after about 20 minutes, you get up and sit somewhere comfortable. You can read the full advice on the NHS Every Mind Matters sleep page.
One NHS leaflet adds a lovely idea: “put the day to rest” by writing down loose ends and planning ahead in a notebook, and avoid anything mentally demanding in the 90 minutes before bed. icb
A simple wind-down you can build this week:
- Anchor: After I wash up from dinner, I put my phone on the charger outside the bedroom.
- Offload: I write tomorrow’s top three things in a notebook.
- Soften: I make a warm drink and dim the lights.
- Celebrate: I tell myself, “Day closed.”
That last step comes from BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits method, which I covered in my October reset article. A tiny celebration helps the habit stick.
Step 4: Chase Daylight Like It’s Your Job
Because the clock change moves daylight, make the daylight you have count. Guidance from Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust says natural light during the day improves daytime energy and night-time sleep quality, and regular exercise such as walking, swimming and stretching can help you sleep better, though it advises against exercising too close to bedtime. royalberkshire
Try these:
- Take a 10-minute walk outside before or at lunchtime.
- Work near a window if you can.
- Move your main workout or walk to the lightest part of the day.
Light and movement together are the most underrated winter routine there is.
Step 5: Shift Your Anchors, Not Just Your Alarm
Here’s where most advice stops too early. If your routine is built around old light conditions, adjusting the alarm isn’t enough. Go through your day and ask:
- Meals: Are they at the same times relative to your wake-up?
- Exercise: Is your usual after-work run now in the dark? Could it move to lunch?
- Creative or focus work: When is your energy highest now?
- Social time: Have you scheduled anything to look forward to in the early evening?
A routine that adapts to the season lasts longer than one that fights it. If you’d like help structuring this, my Empower Your Routine page collects tools you can use alongside this plan.
Want the Science Behind Sleep?
Sleep isn’t a luxury; it underpins mood, focus and resilience. If you want to go deeper, I’ve shared my notes on sleep and Matthew Walker’s research under the why we sleep tag and the sleeping tag.
When It’s More Than a Slump
A few tired days after the change are normal. But if low mood, heavy fatigue or loss of interest lasts for weeks and follows a seasonal pattern, it deserves proper attention. Speak to your GP or a healthcare professional. The NHS’s Every Mind Matters site is a good starting point for self-help, and you don’t need to wait for things to get “bad enough” to ask for support.
Your 10-Day Clock-Change Plan
- 7 days before: Shift bedtime 15 minutes later. Choose your wake-up time and keep it.
- 5 days before: Set up your evening anchor (phone charges outside the bedroom).
- 3 days before: Plan a daylight walk for after the change.
- Night of the change: Keep your usual bedtime on the new clock. Don’t stay up “to use the hour.”
- Day after: Get up at your normal time, open the curtains, step outside.
- Days 2–3: Expect a little tiredness. Keep the routine anyway.
- Day 7: Reflect. What helped? Adjust one thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do the clocks go back in 2026?
In the UK, at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026. Most of Europe changes the same night. The US and Canada change on Sunday 1 November.
How long does it take to adjust to the clocks going back?
It varies. Many people feel off for several days, and some for a week or more. A stable wake time and daylight exposure speed things up.
Do I really gain an hour of sleep?
On the night itself, yes. But your body clock doesn’t instantly agree, so you may still feel tired afterwards.
What’s the best thing to do before the clocks change?
Shift your bedtime gradually in the days before, in small steps of 15 to 20 minutes.
Final Thoughts
You can’t stop the clocks from changing. But you can stop being surprised by them. A gentle week of preparation, a steady wake-up time, a calm evening and a daily dose of daylight will carry you through the first dark week and into winter with your routine intact.
If you’d like more gentle tools like this, join the Italian Girl Touch newsletter. And if winter is your cue to slow down rather than speed up, you might enjoy The Great Un-Optimisation.
What’s one small change you’ll make before the clocks go back? Tell me in the comments.
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