Why do the clocks change? Daylight Saving Time explained

On Sunday, October 27, the clocks will turn back by one hour so we gain an extra 60 minutes during the night. But why does this happen?

This phenomenon occurs twice a year so we should be used to it by now, but it still manages to confuse us.

On both occasions the clocks change by one hour - forward in spring and back in autumn. This change gives us an extra hour of light in the summer evenings and an earlier sunrise in winter.

READ MORE: 'Clocks going back and forward is harming nation's sleep - it must be scrapped'

Daylight Saving Time simply refers to the act of changing our clocks to make better use of the daylight hours offered in summer.

The autumn clock change tends to be more popular as it means we gain an extra hour in bed, in contrast to spring when we potentially lose an hour of sleep.

British Summer Time was introduced in 1916 as part of the Summer Time Act during World War 1 in hope that it would reduce the demand for coal due to having an extra hour of daylight. But the idea was originally proposed by William Willett, a builder who died the year before the change was put into practise.

Most smart devices including phones, TVs, tablets, and smart watches will automatically update to reflect the new time. If you have any manual clocks for example on your oven or microwave, then you will need to update those by hand.

A handy little way to remember which way the clocks are turning is by learning the phrase “spring forward, fall back”. Remember this and you will never be confused about the time again!

Yep! When the clocks go back an hour in autumn, we ‘gain’ an extra hour. Enjoy that extra sleep.

On Sunday 30 March 2025 the clocks will go forward by one hour to shift back to DST for spring.

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