Does mood lighten or darken as clocks go back? Britons urged to join study

Are you feeling down about the upcoming longer nights, or are you looking forward to snoozing for an extra hour just once? Researchers are starting a study to gain insights into how the transition back to standard time each year impacts our happiness and how we perceive time – and they would like your assistance.

In the UK, the clocks will be set back at 2am on Sunday, October 27. Most research has mainly concentrated on the adverse effects of the spring shift to daylight saving time (DST), particularly regarding sleep issues, mental performance, and accident rates. However, there is less information available about the effects of the autumn clock change and how these twice-yearly adjustments influence our sense of time.

Professor Ruth Ogden from Liverpool John Moores University, who is heading the research, expressed her curiosity about the experience of time when external factors interfere with our daily routines. "I want to explore whether this disruption makes people feel like they have more or less time, and how it affects their overall sense of well-being," she explained.

"Time is often underestimated in the field of psychology. Our daily routines are governed by schedules, and we all have our own sense of time, but there’s still a limited understanding of how individuals actually perceive time. Furthermore, we haven't fully explored the possibility of altering people's experiences of time to enhance their overall well-being."

This research is a segment of a broader initiative that examines how outside disturbances influence individuals' perception of time. Ogden's interest in this area sparked after she was in a car accident while at university, where she felt as though time was moving more slowly.

Since that time, she has explored how various emotionally significant experiences—such as the Covid lockdowns—affect how individuals perceive time. "I discovered that those who were managing well and had lower levels of anxiety, depression, or stress felt like the lockdown passed quickly. In contrast, for those who perceived the lockdown as dragging on, they were often more socially isolated, depressed, or dissatisfied with their social interactions," Ogden explained.

Other studies have shown that individuals dealing with chronic pain often have a warped perception of time. "This brings up the intriguing notion that our perception of time is influenced by trauma," explained Ogden.

The research is available to all adults in the UK and requires participants to fill out an online questionnaire regarding their daily routines and the level of time stress they feel. Individuals can take part in the survey either in the week leading up to the clock change, the week after, or in both weeks.

One question that Ogden and her team want to explore is whether socially marginalized individuals or those facing time constraints, like busy parents, perceive the change in time differently than those who have more flexibility in their schedules.

"We have a strong focus on how time and power interact, especially regarding the injustices that can arise for various groups when others hold the reins on time," explained Prof. Patricia Kingori, a sociologist at the Ethox Centre at the University of Oxford, who is overseeing the entire project.

For example, Kingori and her Brazilian partners are collaborating with women whose children are facing ongoing issues due to the Zika virus. According to international law, there is a limited timeframe for these individuals to file a claim against the government. However, as she noted, people who have gone through trauma often struggle to gather the necessary resources to take action before this deadline, even if it seems like time is dragging for them.

Another example is the pressure many women experience from society to have kids during a limited period of their fertility, typically from their mid-20s to mid-30s. “In my experience working with both young mothers and older women at IVF clinics, I've noticed that many feel they are in the ‘wrong time’ of their lives, even if they are physically capable of having children,” said Kingori. “The concept of time control is a subtle form of influence that affects us, often making us feel as though we are falling behind, inadequate, or not quite fitting in. Yet, we frequently don't recognize it as a form of control.”

The project's ultimate aim is to find approaches that might tackle these inequalities, which could ultimately enhance the wellbeing of both individuals and society as a whole.

Ogden mentioned that the shift in time offers a glimpse into experiences we face when everyone else’s schedule changes, but ours remains different. It also prompts thought-provoking questions, such as whether time should be considered a fundamental human right.