The clocks went back on 26 October 2025, marking the end of daylight saving time and the return to Greenwich Mean Time. While the change grants an extra hour in bed, experts warn it can disrupt the body's internal clock and make adjusting to darker mornings difficult.
Why the time change affects your body
Maz Packham, a nutritional therapist, explains that "the clocks changing can impact our circadian rhythm, the body's natural internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle." This rhythm is linked to "key functions such as sleep, mood and metabolism."
The autumn change can feel stronger than the spring shift because of the darkness it brings to mornings and the body's reliance on natural light to feel awake. "The circadian rhythm is primarily driven by exposure to light and darkness, helping to align bodily functions with the environment, such as feeling awake during daylight and tired at night," says Packham.
This disruption is known as social jet lag. Max Kirsten, known as The Sleep Coach and based in London's Knightsbridge, says it will "affect us from the next night onwards. You won't usually feel tired until about an hour later than usual due to the change in time."
Tips to reset your rhythm
To ease the transition, Packham recommends "gradually changing your sleep schedule by shifting your bedtime and wake time." For example, "you could shift your bedtime earlier by an extra 15 minutes each day for four days."
Keeping a consistent pre-bed routine can also help. Packham suggests "a warm bath with Epsom salts, your skincare routine, a meditation while laying on your bed, or journalling." For anxiety at bedtime, the 4-7-8 breathing technique—inhaling for four seconds, holding for seven, and exhaling for eight—can have a calming effect.
Supplements and diet
Magnesium may aid sleep. Packham notes it "is an essential mineral that the body doesn't make so you have to get it through food or supplementation," and it "can help support muscle relaxation, improves sleep and can support mood." A magnesium glycinate supplement taken half an hour before bed may also boost serotonin levels. Dietary sources include dark leafy greens like spinach and kale, nuts, and seeds.
Other products mentioned include Elle Macpherson's Wellco The Evening Elixir (£35) and Alexandra Kay's Time to Restore Magnesium Lotion (£40 for 200ml).
Avoid sleep-spoilers
Blue light from phones, iPads, and TVs "can disrupt our natural sleep-wake cycle by suppressing melatonin production," says Packham. The 3-2-1 technique suggests no food three hours before bed, no drinks two hours before, and no tech or screen time three hours before. Caffeine should be avoided after 2pm.
For darker mornings, Kirsten advises getting outside within an hour of waking, as "sunlight in the morning suppresses the sleepiness chemical adenosine." A SAD lamp can simulate sunlight if early wake times prevent outdoor light exposure. Packham also recommends oily fish like salmon and sardines, or a supplement such as Bare Biology Omega 3 capsules (£31.95), to support serotonin production.
