THE time of year is almost upon us and people across Ireland are set to lose an hour of sleep in just a few weeks.
Twice each year, the clocks change, leaving us with an hour less of daylight in the winter months but an extra when summer hits.
The time change which is known as Daylight Savings Time was first introduced in Ireland back in 1916 and has been operating since.
The handy rhyme ‘spring forward, fall back’ can be used to remember that the clocks will change in both Spring and Autumn.
The last clock change took place on October 27, 2024, when the clocks went back one hour.
However, the clocks going forward means that for one night a year, we miss out on a precious hour of sleep, and it’s coming at the end of this month.
As the day approaches, here’s everything you need to know about the time change.
WHAT TIME WILL CLOCKS GO FORWARD?
The clocks in Ireland will go forward on the last Sunday in March, the same as previous years.
This year, the clocks are set to change on Sunday, March 30.
The clocks will go forward by one hour once the time hits 1am.
It means our clocks will jump ahead to 2am, giving us less time in bed but more time to enjoy daylight in the evenings.
WILL WE GET MORE SUNLIGHT?
Due to the time change, the sun will now rise earlier and daylight will be here for longer.
And once the summer solstice hits in June, the sky can still be bright up until 10pm at night.
The number of hours of daylight will gradually decrease day by day after the summer solstice.
The summer solstice has an average 16 hours of daylight, making Friday, June 20 the longest day this year.
WHEN WILL CLOCKS GO BACK AGAIN?
An easy way to remember the difference is “spring forward, fall back”, with the springtime and autumn, or fall, differentiating the two.
The clocks will go back again in just six months time.
The change will take place on Sunday October 26, 2024 at 2am as the nation head towards winter.
This marks the start of darker evenings and means you will get an extra hour in bed.
IS CLOCK CHANGE HERE TO STAY?
DAYLIGHT Savings Time looks set to stay.
FORMER Justice Minister Helen McEntee last year confirmed the change in time twice a year is here to stay, despite growing calls to abandon it.
McEntee – who was responsible for the time issue at the time – has said getting rid of the change would put us out of sync with our neighbours the UK.
The responsibility has since been passed on to new Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
Abandoning the change here would see different time zones between Northern Ireland and the south, with some locations just minutes apart.
The latest appeal not to change the clocks every year was made by the Fianna Fail TD Sean Haughey in a written Dail question to the Minister.
McEntee said: “Ireland’s constant position at the EU Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council has been that it will not support the proposal.
“A major consideration is the possibility that the proposal would lead to the imposition of two time zones on the island.”
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO BEFORE CHANGE?
In a digital world, phones, tablets and any other digital time will automatically change – the only one you’ll need to manually change is watches.
Also, if there are any clocks still in your home, they will also need to be manually changed.
Often, older cars don’t update automatically with the time and this will need to be done manually if the car allows.
If you have an iPhone then the time will have automatically changed if you have your “date and time” options set to “set automatically”.
iPhone users shouldn’t have to worry about their alarms going off an hour late.
If it’s set for 8am, it will go off at 8am, if your time is set to update automatically.
For all other smartphones, network operators should change the time accordingly if you have automatic updates set to your phone.
However if you’re still using a regular keypad brick-style mobile you might need to change your date and time manually.
HOW CAN I ADJUST MY SLEEP?
When it comes to the night the clocks change, it can mean we wake up a little groggier than normal.
As we lose an hour of sleep, it can be helpful to make a few slight adjustments now to keep up a routine.
Small adjustments to the time you hit the sheets can be useful to help cope.
By shifting our alarms by 15 minutes three days before the clocks change, it can help our bodies adjust.
Also by using the coming weeks as a time to unwind, we can get our bodies into a more relaxed state.
Limiting caffeine and screen time the day before can also allow for a better nights sleep.
As the days become longer and the sun rising earlier, investing in black out blinds can allow you to get a better nights sleep also.
