REMINDER: Clocks go back tonight as winter time officially begins

Don't forget to turn back the clocks this evening as we step into 'winter time' under Daylight Saving Time.

At 2 am on Sunday morning, October 27, the clocks go back an hour to 1am to mark 'winter time', meaning the days will be getting shorter and the nights getting darker and colder.

The clocks going back signifies the start of winter but we do get an extra hour of morning brightness. 

Most smartphones, tablets and computers will update automatically so you needn't worry about the technological aspect of the time change. 

About 70 countries participate in Daylight Saving Time.  Ireland is located in the Greenwich Mean Time zone, sharing the same time as Iceland, Portugal, and some countries in northwest Africa. 

Final Law

Earlier this year, MEPs voted to scrap the practice of moving clocks forward by an hour in spring then back again in the autumn in the EU from April 2021.

The vote is not the last word on the issue but will form the basis of discussions with EU countries to produce a final law.

The majority of countries outside Europe and North America do not adjust their clocks.

Few helpful tips

• Embrace the change
• Get on with your usual routine - take the changes in your stride
• Make sure and get morning sunlight because it will get darker sooner - try an early morning walk or run. 
• Take a long soothing bath before going to bed
• Read rather than watch television. This will help you ease into sleep earlier
• Use a night light. A night light will guide you if you have to get out of bed in the middle of the night. Putting on a light wakes you up and disrupts your sleeping pattern