The clocks go back one hour at 2 am on Sunday 25 October 2026. For what happens, why it can affect your sleep and how to help children, see when do the clocks go back?
If you have a day or two, here is a quick plan for the weekend. You don’t need to follow every step: use whatever fits your plans.
H2: Friday
If you tend to wake early after the clock change, you could go to bed 20–30 minutes later if you can also sleep later on Saturday. Otherwise, keep your usual bedtime. Check any manual clocks and alarms you rely on.
H2: Saturday
If your commitments allow, move your routine a little later, such as getting up, meals and bedtime. You needn’t shift every meal or activity by exactly an hour. Spend some time outside in daylight during the day.
In the evening, keep things calm: dim the lights and read, stretch or have a warm bath rather than watching a screen until bedtime.
H2: Sunday
Use the new clock time for your usual routine. Get outside during the day, and allow a few days for your sleep timing to settle. A long lie-in may make it harder to get back into your routine, but one unusual night is nothing to worry about.
H2: No time to prepare?
That’s fine. The autumn change is usually easier than the spring one. Start on Sunday: follow your usual routine on the new clock time and give yourself a few days.
Helping children adjust? Read how to help children with the autumn clock change.
For a fuller day-by-day plan, read how to help children with the autumn clock change. For the date and what happens to the clocks, read when do the clocks go back?
Friday
If you tend to wake early after the clock change, you could go to bed 20–30 minutes later, starting on Friday and then, if you can, sleep later on Saturday.
Saturday
If your commitments allow, move your routine a little later, such as getting up, meals and bedtime.
You needn’t shift every meal or activity by exactly an hour.
Spend some time outside in daylight during the day.
In the evening, keep things calm: switch off your tech early, dim the lights and read, stretch or have a warm bath rather than watching a screen until bedtime and then go to bed another 20-30 minutes later so you are now fully adjusted to the new later Greenwich Mean Time.
Sunday
Use the new clock time for your usual routine. Get outside during the day, and allow a few days for your sleep timing to settle. A long lie-in may make it harder to get back into your routine, but one unusual night is nothing to worry about.
No Time to prepare?
If you find that you don’t have time to plan for the Autumn Clocks Change, you shouldn’t be overly concerned. The autumn change is far less disruptive than the Spring Clocks Change when we lose an hour’s sleep. When you adjust on the Sunday, try to get some sunlight early to help strengthen your body clock, follow your usual routine on the new clock time and give yourself a few days to fully adjust.
Helping children adjust? Read how to help children with the autumn clock change. For the date and what happens to the clocks, read when do the clocks go back?
