It’s Nearly Time For A Rewind!

Here at New You HQ, we enjoy a good countdown to something. It makes us feel motivated! This week’s countdown is one we can’t wait for as it means an extra hour in bed!

Yep, on the 31st of October, the clocks go back by one hour in the UK! And because those clocks are rewinding, we’ll get a proper Sunday lay in!

On the last Sunday of every October, the clocks go back an hour at 1 am, but have you ever thought about the reasons why we do this and what effect it could have on your health and your transformation?

As usual, we are here to satisfy your curiosity and give you some answers!

Whose idea was it to mess with time?

Well back in 1784, Benjamin Franklin was feeling eco friendly when he suggested changing time to Parisians in his letter of address. It’s possible he was being sarcastic, but his notion that putting back the clocks to make the most of the daylight and save on burning candles would have been a definite money-saver for the people of Paris.

It wasn’t until 1907 that William Willet put forward that to save wasting precious daylight hours in the winter months the clocks should be moved back. He suggested as much as 80 minutes, but not all at once. He believed that adjusting time by 20 minutes four times throughout September would do the trick. And then reversing it in April. That sounds like a right faff! It’s hard enough to remember to do it twice a year let alone 8 times! 

So when did the clocks first go back?

Clearly, Britain wasn’t too keen at the time of William Willett’s proposal, however, in 1916 it seemed a lot more attractive. It was thought that not only would it improve productivity for the war effort by making use of all the daylight possible, but would also cut the amount of domestic coal use. This would increase the supplies available for manufacturers who needed it to keep the country going throughout this tough period. 

Why do we change the clocks on a Sunday?

This one is thanks to an EU directive. I suppose if we all keep to the same schedule it’s less confusing in the long run.

What about outside the EU?

Not all countries have adopted the ritual of moving their clocks back and forth. And the ones that do, have their own schedule. This makes sense as they have different seasons in different months than the UK. 

In fact, only a quarter of countries in the world adjust their time. In America, not all of the states have the same timetable, specifically, Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S Virgin Islands and American Samoa, who have opted to do their own thing.

Does it really make a saving to daylight?

Yes! On the summer solstice, the UK’s longest day, we can look forward to a glorious 16 hours and 50 minutes of daylight. Whereas on the winter solstice, the shortest day, that number more than halves with only 7 hours and 40 minutes of daylight available. So you can see that by putting the clocks back we definitely take advantage of the little daylight we get in the winter.

What effect does putting the clocks back have on my health & transformation?

Well as you know, we are advocates for good sleep habits. Sufficient sleep helps to regulate hormones and make your body run more efficiently. The more efficient your body is, the easier it is to lose weight. We admit that’s an oversimplification but all in all, if you’re well-rested then your transformation will become a success.

When the clocks go back by an hour it means the mornings are lighter, which may have an effect on when you wake and get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes our body clock has different ideas to our alarm clock! 

There are several ways to ensure you get the optimum eight hours of quality sleep. You can make sure your bedroom is dark enough, even in the lightest of mornings – blackout blinds are great for this. Or you can adjust your bedtime routine by ten minutes over a few days in anticipation of the time change. 

Also, make sure that your sleeping environment is comfortable, peaceful and tidy. Avoiding screens a good hour before bedtime and caffeine in the afternoon will also ensure some top-class zeds!

If you find that your bedtime routine is non-existent, then maybe as the clocks change, your mindset around sleep could also change. That would make a perfect November goal and would shift your transformation into the next gear! Pascale, our mindset coach, is the ideal support in this area.

Well, we hope you found that interesting and are ready for the countdown! 

In true New You style, we’re making it interesting by letting you beat the countdown clock. This is our special offer to celebrate the clocks going back. You can bag yourself a bargain from October 27th! We’re starting by giving you a 45% discount and then it shrinks every day until your extra hour in bed. You’re gonna need the code: TICKTOCK21