Overview

• At 2am on Sunday, October 26, the UK moves from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time, giving most people an extra hour of sleep and earlier nightfall; clocks next go forward on March 29, 2026.
• Most smartphones and connected devices will update automatically, but many analogue clocks and in-car or oven displays require manual changes.
• Clinicians, including Dr Isabel Viña, warn the one-hour shift can briefly unsettle circadian rhythms, affecting sleep quality, mood and concentration.
• Suggested measures include going to bed slightly earlier in the days before the change, keeping routines consistent, limiting late caffeine and screens, and seeking morning daylight.
• Research is mixed: a 2025 International Journal of Population Data Science study linked the autumn switch to reductions in some acute conditions, while King’s College London experts advocate permanent Standard Time, and ministers have indicated no plans to alter the current system.