Why do the clocks change?

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Winter is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to set the clocks back once more.

As the chilly season sets in, we experience shorter days with darker mornings and evenings. However, by adjusting our clocks, we can enjoy more daylight during the early hours.

Additionally, when the clocks shift, we enjoy an extra hour of sleep, so we can't really complain.

Here’s all the essential information about when the clocks are set back and the reasons behind it:

When Do Clocks Change In 2024?

The clocks will be set back by one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, October 27th.

Looking forward, the clocks will move ahead by one hour on March 30, 2025, at 1 a.m.

Every year, on the last Sunday in October, the clocks are set back one hour at 2 AM.

When this happens, the UK will transition from British Summer Time (BST), commonly referred to as Daylight Saving Time, to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

If you own a smartphone or similar device, the time displayed on it should refresh itself automatically in the early hours of the morning.

On Sunday, March 26, the clocks were set ahead by an hour, signaling the start of British Summer Time.

After the summer solstice in June, the length of the days slowly starts to decrease.

By setting the clocks back an hour in the fall, people can enjoy more daylight in the morning. On the other hand, moving the clocks forward in the spring results in brighter evenings.

The Reason Behind Daylight Saving Time

British Summer Time was initially established with the Summer Time Act of 1916.

William Willett, a builder from the Edwardian era and the great-great-grandfather of Chris Martin from Coldplay, came up with an idea to adjust the clocks ahead in the spring and back in the fall. His aim was to allow people to enjoy more daylight hours outside and to conserve energy, which is why we have Daylight Saving Time.

Willett discussed his idea in a brochure titled The Waste of Daylight, released in 1907.

In 1916, during World War I, the government took up his proposals—just a year after Willett passed away—because lawmakers thought it would help lower the need for coal.

Although the Summer Time Act came into existence based on Willett's suggestion, he wasn’t the pioneer of the concept of adjusting the clocks to make better use of daylight.

In 1784, Benjamin Franklin shared a similar concept in a humorous letter addressed to the editor of the Journal of Paris. In this letter, he proposed that if people woke up earlier during daylight, it would be more economical because it would reduce the need for candles.

The ancient Romans adopted a similar approach to make the most of their daylight hours.