Spring Forwards on Clock Change Day

This year's clock change falls on Sunday, 28th March. Our country's "roadmap out of lockdown" has us all hoping that, unlike last year, we'll soon get to properly enjoy the extended daylight hours and evenings spent outside with our nearest and dearest.

Lack of those simple pleasures, along with many other events from the last 12 months have shaken up our daily routines. If you feel like you've only just got back into the swing of things, be mindful that this weekend's clock change may still put you out of sync a little. And should you choose to hit the snooze button on Sunday, you will only disrupt your body clock further. Instead, the trick is to advance your body clock back by an hour in the run up to clock change.

When the clocks spring forward our body clock can struggle to adapt to the lost hour. Morning light acts to help our body clock to shift earlier in time, adapting to the change in time, and synchronise the clock to the new sleep/wake schedule. This crucial light signal can be provided both by a light box on awakening and a dawn simulator when light gradually increases during the last part of sleep. Dr Victoria Revell, Circadian Rhythm Expert, University of Surrey

This clock change plan is based on a typical routine of bedtime at 11pm and wake-up at 7am – simply adjust to your own sleep pattern as necessary.

Step 1: Saturday am – get up about half an hour earlier than usual (6.30am). If you’re using Lumie Bodyclock, the gradual sunrise should help to make it less painful!

Step 2: Saturday night – go to bed about 10.30 pm, ideally using the sunset feature on Bodyclock to help you wind down. If you’re using one of our newest Bodyclock Luxe models, you can benefit further from the low-blue light feature which makes the light non-alerting. Imposing an electronics curfew by 9.30pm and/or switching on your devices’ low-blue light function if they have one will also help. The earlier than normal start should mean that you are extra tired and able to sleep earlier than usual. Remember to put your clock forward by an hour!

Step 3: Sunday am – wake up at 6am (BST 7am) and get up straight away, resisting the urge to snooze. And don't forget to change the time on your Bodyclock! If you need a little refresher on how-to, you can check out instructional videos on our YouTube Channel or operating instructions you can find on our our product pages.

Getting some light first thing will also help, ideally by going outside for an early walk or run. If your lifestyle makes that impossible, then the next best solution is to use a bright light like Lumie Halo or Lumie Vitamin L; the light signal triggers your brain to stop producing the sleep hormones like melatonin and to increase production of the get up and go ones like cortisol. You can then use a bright light during the day whenever you need a boost in your mood or energy.