Clocks go back: reset your sleep in 4 nights
The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October 2026 in the UK and EU, and on Sunday 1 November 2026 in the US and Canada. Move your bedtime and wake-up 15 minutes later each night for 4 nights, so the extra hour arrives gently. Free, and nothing leaves your device.
When the clocks change
UK and EU
Sunday 25 October 2026
UK: clocks go back 1 hour at 2am (gov.uk). EU countries change on the same day, the last Sunday in October.
US and Canada
Sunday 1 November 2026
US: at 2am local time the clock becomes 1am, on the first Sunday of November (NIST). Most of Canada changes the same day; a few places never change.
Dates differ elsewhere and some countries do not change the clocks at all. Check your own region.
How the 4-night plan works
- Enter your usual bedtime and wake-up time in the calculator below.
- On each of the 4 nights before the change, go to bed and get up 15 minutes later than the night before: +15, +30, +45, +60 minutes.
- The clocks go back during the fourth night, so the +60 minutes you built up becomes your usual time on the new clock.
- From Sunday, keep your usual bed and wake-up times on the new clock, and use the light and caffeine tips below.
Your 4-night plan
Time in bed: 8 h 0 min
- Wed 21 Oct+15 min
- Bed
- 22:45
- Wake up
- 06:45
- Last tea or coffee
- 16:45
- Dim the lights
- 21:45
- Thu 22 Oct+30 min
- Bed
- 23:00
- Wake up
- 07:00
- Last tea or coffee
- 17:00
- Dim the lights
- 22:00
- Fri 23 Oct+45 min
- Bed
- 23:15
- Wake up
- 07:15
- Last tea or coffee
- 17:15
- Dim the lights
- 22:15
- Sat 24 Oct+60 min
- Bed
- 23:30
- Wake up
- 06:30
- Last tea or coffee
- 17:30
- Dim the lights
- 22:30
The clocks go back during this night. Your wake-up time is your usual time on the new clock.
- From Sunday
Your usual times on the new clock.
Your times are remembered on this device only. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Light tips
- Get outside in daylight each day when you can. NHLBI says to spend time outside every day when possible, and the NHS suggests getting as much natural daylight as you can in the darker months.
- After the change it gets dark about an hour earlier by the clock (and light earlier in the morning). In the last hour before bed, switch to lamps and put bright screens away: NHLBI advises avoiding bright artificial light such as a TV or computer screen in that hour.
- Keep the bedroom dark and quiet. The NHS suggests curtains, blinds, an eye mask or ear plugs if needed. Lighter mornings after the change make this worth checking.
Caffeine timing
- The NHS advises no tea, coffee, alcohol or smoking at least 6 hours before going to bed. The plan above shows that time for each night, so it moves 15 minutes later with your bedtime.
- NHLBI notes that the effects of caffeine can last up to 8 hours. If you are sensitive to caffeine, stop earlier.
Keep the basics steady
The NHS advice for better sleep: get up at the same time every day, go to bed only when sleepy, and relax at least 1 hour before bed.
Darker evenings? Plan something
After the change evenings get dark an hour earlier by the clock. A plan with other people helps you leave the house: find come-alone events near you on comealone.app, or see who is going in the Meet & Mint app.
In spring it works in reverse
The clocks go forward on Sunday 28 March 2027 in the UK and EU and on Sunday 14 March 2027 in the US and Canada. The same idea works the other way: move bed and wake-up 15 minutes earlier each night. That is our suggestion too.
Questions
Do I have to shift by 15 minutes a night?
No. It is a gentle suggestion. Some people simply keep their usual clock times and let their body catch up. What the NHS advice does say is to get up at the same time every day.
What if I only have two nights left?
Use the last two steps (+45 and +60 minutes) or just move 30 minutes a night. Anything gradual is gentler than one jump. Tonight's row is marked in the plan.
Is this plan for children?
It is written for adults. Children and babies have their own routines; ask a doctor or health visitor if you are unsure.
Do I need to change my phone clock?
Phones usually update by themselves. Check older devices, car clocks, ovens and alarm clocks that are not connected.
Is my data stored?
No account, no server. The calculator runs in your browser and remembers your two times on this device only.
Sources
- GOV.UK: When do the clocks change?
Page updated 24 November 2025; checked 2026-10-20 - NIST: Daylight Saving Time rules (US)
Checked 2026-10-20 - NHS: Insomnia
Page reviewed 19 March 2024; checked 2026-10-20 - NHS: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), self-help
Page reviewed 17 December 2025; checked 2026-10-20 - NHLBI (US National Institutes of Health): Healthy sleep habits
Page updated 24 March 2022; checked 2026-10-20
Dates and advice checked on 20 October 2026. The sources do not describe a 15-minute-a-night plan; that part is ours.