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.

The good news is that it’s possible to counteract some of the impact of the clocks going back – you just need to know where to start. So, to help you navigate the next week with ease, we asked sleep experts to share their top tips for making the transition from daylight saving time (or BST) to Greenwich mean time (GMT) as pain-free as possible. 

One of the most effective things you can do to improve your sleep quality is to stick to a consistent sleep schedule (ie going to bed and waking up at the same time every day). But even if you’re not strict with your routine, chances are you have a time every day when you start to feel sleepy, which is a sign of your circadian rhythm in action.

That’s why many of us find it harder to get to sleep and wake up in the morning after the clock change: our melatonin and cortisol levels (the hormones that help us fall asleep and wake up respectively and are produced by our circadian rhythm) are out of sync.

A good way to tackle this is to simply start changing your sleep schedule a little earlier. “In the days leading up to the clock change, start shifting your bedtime 10–15 minutes earlier each night,” says Dr Seeta Shah, sleep adviser for Panda London. “This gradual adjustment helps your body acclimatise to the time change without feeling a shock.” 

Because our circadian rhythm is hugely affected by light, you can use light to help your body adapt to the clock change. The only problem? When the clocks go back every October, the mornings get lighter and the evenings get darker (on the day the clocks change, the sun will set at 16.42pm in London and rise the following morning at 6:48am) – so we have to be smart about when and where we’re getting light from.

The first way to counteract this daylight shift is to maximise your natural light exposure while the sun is up. This is particularly important in the mornings, says Dr Shah.

“Natural light is crucial for regulating your body’s circadian rhythm,” she explains. “Try to get outside and expose yourself to as much daylight as possible in the mornings, as this helps signal to your body when to be awake and alert, reducing the risk of you feeling sluggish throughout the day after the time shift.” 

Natural light exposure helps us to feel more awake by spiking levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. While too much cortisol is a bad thing, we need cortisol to wake us and up and help us feel alert, which is why getting outside when it’s light is good for us.

On the flipside, too much light exposure – especially in the evenings – can disrupt production of the sleep hormone melatonin, which is why you want to keep things nice and dim when you’re winding down for bed. Investing in blackout curtains to shut out early morning light can also help to keep you asleep for longer. 

It’s normal to feel a bit more tired than usual after the clocks go back, especially if the change in time takes its toll on your sleep quality. However, Dr Shah warns against leaning into caffeine as a way to fight off feelings of sluggishness.

“While caffeine can temporarily boost energy, it may also disrupt your ability to fall asleep,” she says. In this way, it’s kind of like a plaster – it simply covers up the real issue underneath. “Limiting coffee and other caffeinated drinks in the afternoon and evening will make it easier for your body to adjust to the earlier sleep times,” she adds. 

Images: Getty