{"id":15060765,"date":"2026-03-28T06:30:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T10:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/the-best-tips-weve-heard-to-cope-with-clocks-springing-forward\/"},"modified":"2026-03-28T07:03:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T11:03:59","slug":"the-best-tips-weve-heard-to-cope-with-clocks-springing-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/the-best-tips-weve-heard-to-cope-with-clocks-springing-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Tips We've Heard To Cope With Clocks Springing Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We\u2019re about to enter British Summer Time (BST)<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This year (2026), it kicks in at 1am on Sunday, 29 March (in the UK<\/a>, always happens on the last Sunday of March, thanks in part<\/a> to Chris Martin\u2019s great-great-grandfather).\u00a0<\/p>\n

And while the shift is linked to lower incidences<\/a> of car accidents, it\u2019s also associated<\/a> with worse sleep and even a higher risk of heart attacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So, we thought we\u2019d share the best advice we\u2019ve heard about coping with the change:\u00a0<\/p>\n

1) Eat dinner an hour earlier on Sunday, 29 March<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Speaking to HuffPost UK previously,\u00a0Dr Tim Mercer<\/a>, an NHS GP partner, said, \u201cOn Sunday, 29th March, eat dinner an hour earlier than usual.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because \u201cWhere we\u2019re losing an hour, eating too close to your bedtime can disturb your sleep and cause indigestion,\u201d he explained<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

2) Get some morning sunlight\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Clock changes can wreak havoc on our Circadian rhythm<\/a>, or body clock, which is key to a good night\u2019s sleep<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But sunlight can help to regulate your sleep-wake cycle, and morning light seems most effective<\/a> of all. That\u2019s because it may encourage something called a \u201cphase advance,\u201d which means you fall asleep faster<\/a>, potentially making an earlier wakeup more bearable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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3) Consider your age when working out how to handle the sleep change<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dr Tim Mercer<\/a>, an insomnia specialist, shared that different generations have their own ways of handling clock changes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gen Z may be<\/a> the \u201cmost disadvantaged\u201d group after the clock changes, he added, as their natural sleep patterns tend towards being night owls. And Millennials might be more likely<\/a> to deal with\u00a0\u201corthosomnia<\/a>,\u201d where anxiety about perfect sleep can (paradoxically) keep you up all night.<\/p>\n

These groups all need to take different approaches<\/a>, he added.<\/p>\n

4) Be patient with yourself\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It takes a lot of people several days<\/a> to acclimatise to the clocks changing. And even if your sleep routine and daytime activity are perfect, it\u2019s possible you might still struggle with the shift.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking to the Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre<\/a>, Dr Rachel Sharman, a researcher in Sleep Medicine, said, \u201cRecognise that it may take time for your body to adjust to the new schedule and be gentle with yourself during this transition period\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stressing about it may only make any<\/a> sleep issues worse.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Related…<\/h3>\n