The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting wetter and Halloween is fast approaching. It can only mean one thing – the clocks are about to change. This Sunday (27 October) marks the end of daylight savings time, where the clocks go back an hour.

From the outside, the clocks going back might not seem like a big deal. After all, it’s only a 60-minute shift at 2am, and an extra hour in bed seems like good news for our sleep.

However, this change can be more detrimental than many of us realise because of its impact on our circadian rhythm. This internal clock relies on cues such as light exposure and the timing of our sleep and meals to control everything from our body temperature and cognitive function to sleepiness and hormones, which means a shift in the clock can impact our sleep quality and our ability to concentrate.

Clocks go back: how to stop the end of daylight savings time impacting your sleep