When do the clocks go forward – and why do we do it?
Losing an hour in bed is the true sign that spring is really underway.
The clocks go forward tomorrow, March 28.
At 1am the clocks will jump forward to 2am.
Whilst we may lose an hour of sleep, in exchange we do get to see the beginnings of longer days and brighter nights.
These brighter nights will stay with us till at least October when the clocks fall back again.
So just why do we still follow these rules?
American politician and inventor Benjamin Franklin came up with the idea of daylight savings whilst he was in Paris in 1784.
He suggested that if people got up earlier in the morning when it was lighter outside, then people could save money and resources on candles.
However, the idea of moving the clocks back and forward wasn’t discussed in parliament until 1908, but it was disapproved of and it didn’t come into law.
German soldiers during World War One introduced the practice first, with the UK following through soon after.
The energy-saving benefits were not fully recognised until World War II when clocks in the UK were put two hours ahead of GMT—this became known as Double Summer Time, but it didn’t last for very long.
Now, the clocks moving forward is simply a sign that spring is here and summer is not long behind.
