Why doctors are calling the UK to abolish its yearly clock-changing system

As autumn fades and winter will soon knock at the doors, the UK is set to turn back its clocks by an hour, marking the end of British Summer Time (BST) and the return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) at the close of this month.

While this time shift has long been a tradition, a growing number of scientists and medical professionals are now pushing for an end to the biannual clock changes, arguing that it is “harming the nation’s sleep."

But why does the UK continue to change its clocks twice a year, and what impact does this practice have on health? Let’s take a closer look.

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Turning back time

British Summer Time (BST), also known as Daylight Saving Time (DST), was first introduced with the Summer Time Act of 1916.

The idea was originally championed by William Willett, an Edwardian builder and the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay’s Chris Martin, says The Independent. Willett led a campaign called ‘The Waste of Daylight,’ proposing that the clocks should move forward in spring and back in winter.

Although Willett passed away a year before his idea became law, the government adopted his plan in 1916 during World War I, believing it would help conserve coal.

Since then, every year, the clocks are set back an hour at 2 am on the last Sunday of October (this year on October 27), marking the UK’s shift from BST to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

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In March (March 30, 2025), as spring begins and the days lengthen, the clocks will move forward an hour at 1 am once again.

Thanks to the digital age, devices like smartphones automatically adjust the time early in the morning.

Daylight Saving Time is practiced by many countries worldwide, including most of Europe and North America. However, in Europe, countries like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Iceland, Russia, and Turkey no longer follow this system.

Why do the clocks change?

After the summer solstice in June, the days begin to grow shorter.

As a result, turning the clocks back an hour in autumn allows for more sunlight in the morning. When the clocks move forward in spring, it extends daylight into the evenings, providing lighter evenings as the days lengthen.

Earlier, it was argued that changing clocks also helped conserve coal and save energy, hence the name term Daylight Saving Time  (DST) emerged.

Why are health experts opposing?

The British Sleep Society (BSS), a professional body representing medical, scientific, and health professionals, has issued a warning against the practice of changing clocks.

Experts contend that substantial evidence demonstrates the benefits of natural morning daylight for sleep patterns and overall health, while altering the clocks has adverse effects.

Dr. Eva Winnebeck, a Lecturer in Chronobiology at the University of Surrey, stated in comments reported by The Independent, “What we often don’t realise is that Daylight Saving Time changes our schedules, moving them forward by one hour while daylight remains the same.”

She further explained, “DST forces us all to get up and go to work or school one hour earlier. In seasons with fewer daylight hours, such as now in autumn, it means most of us have to get up and commute in the dark.”

The experts highlight that circadian rhythms —the 24-hour cycles governing physical, mental, and behavioural changes—are particularly disrupted when the clocks spring forward.

Also read: Daylight saving time linked to heart attacks: study

As a solution, the doctors advocate for a permanent shift to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Professor von Schantz remarked that GMT “aligns closely with the natural light-dark cycles of the day and night.”

He elaborated, “Restoring permanent Standard Time (GMT) would mean our clocks would be closely aligned to solar time, and while it would mean earlier sunsets in the summer, there would be additional benefits to health from improved sleep and circadian alignment due to increased exposure to morning sunlight from autumn to spring.”

With input from agencies