Clocks Go Back: Looking After Yourself as the Evenings Draw In
In the early hours of Sunday 25 October, the clocks go back an hour. For many of us that means a lighter start to the day, an earlier dusk and a few days of feeling slightly unsettled while our routines catch up.
If you've ever wondered what the clock change really does to our sleep and wellbeing, you're not alone. This post looks at what the research says (and where it's less clear), plus a few gentle ideas for looking after yourself as the evenings draw in.
Do We Really Gain an Hour When the Clocks Go Back?
The autumn change is often described as a bonus hour in bed. The research paints a more nuanced picture.
One review of the evidence found little sign of much extra sleep on the night itself, and suggested that earlier waking times over the following days could leave some people with less sleep across the week (Harrison, 2013). The authors of a large 2025 study of NHS records in England note that people may gain only around half an hour of extra sleep (de Lange et al., 2025).
A more recent systematic review of 27 studies found that results varied. The spring change appeared more consistently linked to poorer sleep than the autumn one, particularly for people who naturally lean towards later bedtimes. The authors also noted that inconsistent methods across studies make firm conclusions difficult (Romigi et al., 2025).
What the Larger Studies Can and Can't Tell Us
The 2025 study looked at health records in England over 12 years, covering more than 680,000 people who had a recorded health event around the clock changes. In the week after the autumn clock change, it recorded modest reductions, between 2 and 8 per cent, in events such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression and heart-related conditions, compared with the surrounding weeks. Little change was seen after the spring clock change (de Lange et al., 2025).
It's important to be clear about what this means. This was an observational study, so it can't show that the clock change caused these differences. The records only capture people who sought medical help, and the date recorded isn't always the date symptoms began. The authors suggest that extra sleep and brighter mornings might play a part, but they weren't able to test either idea (de Lange et al., 2025).
So where does that leave us? For most people, the autumn change may be a fairly mild adjustment, though how it feels varies from person to person. It's perfectly normal to feel a little tired or unsettled for a few days.
Looking After Yourself as the Evenings Draw In
None of the ideas below are medical advice or proven fixes. They're simply everyday things some people find helpful at this time of year.
Ease Into the Change
Some people like to nudge their bedtime gradually in the days around the clock change rather than all at once, and keep their wake-up time fairly steady. Small, consistent routines can feel more manageable than big changes.
Make Room for Small Pauses
Darker evenings can make it tempting to cram more in, or to collapse in front of a screen. Research on downtime offers a gentle reminder to protect real pauses. In a survey of 422 US workers, downtime acted as a buffer against time pressure, with the benefits depending partly on how much control people felt they had over their time (Dugan and Barnes-Farrell, 2017).
That was a survey, so it shows an association rather than proving cause. But it fits with what many of us know instinctively: breathing space matters.
A warm drink without your phone, a short walk, a good book, an hour with the television off. There's no single right way to rest.
Notice the Morning Light
Because the study's authors raised the possibility that brighter mornings may matter, some people choose to step outside for a few minutes after waking. That's an idea to try rather than a proven fix, but it costs nothing and can be a pleasant way to begin the day.
A Quiet Hour at Connected Chiropractic
If you'd like a dedicated pause as the nights draw in, Caitlin, our ABT-accredited Holistic Therapist at the Paisley clinic, offers Body Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Japanese Face lifting Kobido massage and Indian Head Massage, among other treatments.
Touch-based therapies have been associated with improvements in wellbeing in the research, although effects vary between people and between studies (Field, 2010). A session isn't a substitute for medical care where that's needed, but it can be a calm, unhurried way to step out of the evening rush.
A Gentle Place to Start
When the clocks go back this October, there's no need to overhaul your routine. A little patience with yourself, a few steady habits and some unhurried pauses are a kind place to begin as the evenings draw in.
Written by Caitlin,
Holisitic Massage Therapist
References
de Lange, M.A., Birnie, K., Richmond, R.C., Shapland, C.Y., Eastwood, S.V., Tilling, K. and Davies, N.M. (2025) 'Acute effects of daylight saving time clock changes on mental and physical health in England: population based retrospective cohort study', BMJ, 391, e085962. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2025-085962.
Dugan, A.G. and Barnes-Farrell, J.L. (2017) 'Time for self-care: downtime recovery as a buffer of work and home/family time pressures', Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59(4), pp. e46-e56.
Field, T. (2010) 'Touch for socioemotional and physical well-being: a review', Developmental Review, 30(4), pp. 367-383.
Harrison, Y. (2013) 'The impact of daylight saving time on sleep and related behaviours', Sleep Medicine Reviews, 17(4), pp. 285-292. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2012.10.001.
Romigi, A., Franco, V., Scoditti, E., Milan, G., Ceriello, F., Centonze, D. and Garbarino, S. (2025) 'The effects of daylight saving time and clock time transitions on sleep and sleepiness: a systematic review', Sleep Medicine Reviews, 84, 102161. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2025.102161.
