Date clocks go back shifting as darker nights approach sooner

An extra hour in bed and darker days are approaching

As summer comes to an end, the days are getting shorter and evenings are becoming darker. The end of daylight saving time means we gain an extra hour in bed, but the clocks will change on a different date from last year.

A simple way to remember which way the clocks change is the saying, “spring forward, fall back”. Most modern devices, including smartphones and smartwatches, will adjust automatically at 2am, changing from 2am to 1am. Traditional clocks will need to be changed manually.

The practice of changing the clocks was introduced to make better use of natural daylight. When the clocks go back, mornings become lighter and we gain an extra hour of daylight.

However, it also means the sun sets earlier and evenings become darker sooner, reports Irish Mirror.

In 2025, the clocks went back on Sunday, October 26. This year, they will move back one hour at 2am on Sunday, October 25, marking the end of daylight saving time.

According to timeanddate.com, the sun will set today (September 6) at 8.02pm, but daylight hours will gradually diminish, with sunset occurring at 7.04pm by Wednesday, September 30, before dropping even earlier to 5.07pm on Sunday, October 25 – when the clocks change.

All EU member states make this adjustment, with Iceland being the sole exception, staying on Western European Time throughout the year.

Back in 2019, the European Union voted to potentially abolish Daylight Saving Time completely after 2021, following a survey which revealed most people would rather not change their clocks twice annually.

However, the proposal was postponed due to the pandemic.

Looking to the future, clocks will spring forward next year on Sunday, March 28, 2027, and back on Sunday, October 31, 2027 – maintaining the established seasonal pattern.