A woman in champagne satin pyjamas stretches her arms wide and smiles as she sits up in bed, a padded headboard and a wall lamp in the mirror behind her

The 25 October clock change: using the extra hour

The short answer

During the night of Saturday 24 to Sunday 25 October 2026, the clocks went back one hour: from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m. in France and Poland, and from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. in the UK, at the same moment. That is an hour more in bed. The UAE and Saudi Arabia did not change. In Paris the sun now rises at about 7:26 instead of 8:24, so keep your usual bedtime and alarm, and let an eye mask take care of the earlier light until you get up.

Sunday morning. The phone changed the time on its own; the oven clock did not. In between sits an hour nobody planned for.

When exactly did the clocks go back?

  • France: at 3 a.m. it became 2 a.m., during the night of Saturday 24 to Sunday 25 October.
  • Poland: the same moment, 3 a.m. back to 2 a.m.
  • The UK: at 2 a.m. it became 1 a.m., the same instant, one time zone to the west.
  • The UAE and Saudi Arabia: no change; their clocks keep the same time all year. Seen from Paris, Dubai is now three hours ahead instead of two, and Riyadh two hours instead of one.

Anywhere else, check your local time: not every country changes its clocks, and not always on the same night.

What can you do with the extra hour?

Four ideas, none of them productive.

  1. Sleep. The simplest answer: an hour more in bed.
  2. A slow morning. Coffee by the window, skincare with no rush.
  3. The weekly reset. Strip the bed and wash the silk pieces on a delicate cycle, in a mesh bag.
  4. Nothing. That is allowed too.

Should you change your bedtime this week?

No. Keep the clock times you already had: if you go to bed at 11 p.m. and get up at 7, do the same by the new time from Sunday night. The INSV, France's national institute for sleep and vigilance, recommends regular times for going to bed and getting up, weekdays and weekends alike. The extra hour is a gift, not a new schedule.

Why is it light so much earlier in the morning?

Because the sun did not move; the clock did. In Paris, sunrise was at 8:24 on Saturday and at 7:26 on Sunday. In London it went from 7:39 to 6:41. By Saturday 31 October it is 7:35 in Paris: still before many alarms.

With an alarm at 7:30, that means daylight at the curtains before you are ready for it. Overlap the curtains the night before; an eye mask reduces the ambient light that still gets through until the alarm. Then take it off and open the curtains wide: the INSV also recommends daylight, especially in the morning.

Where Siluxe fits

The Siluxe silk eye mask is 100% mulberry silk, 22 momme, Grade 6A, and designed in Paris. It is one size, light and supple, in five colours: Rose gold, Gold, Bronze, Burgundy and Silver, at $41. It reduces ambient light, so the earlier sunrise can wait for your alarm. See the eye mask.

For fit and pressure, read How to choose a silk eye mask. For a longer weekend morning, read The art of the lie-in: sleeping when the sun is up.

FAQ

Do I need to change the time on my phone?

Not if it sets the time automatically. Check the oven, the car and any alarm clock without a network connection.

When do the clocks go forward again?

On Sunday 28 March 2027 in the UK, according to GOV.UK. France and Poland follow the shared European calendar, which also moves the clocks forward on the last Sunday of March.

Can I wear an eye mask until the alarm goes off?

Yes, if it fits without pressing. Take it off when you get up and let the daylight in.

Sources

Each source was opened and checked on 23 October 2026.

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