UK clocks go back at 2 am on Sunday 25 October 2026 · guidance
Start Wed 21 Oct: move the whole day about 15 minutes later each day.
| Day | Wake | Naps start around | Bedtime | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 21 Oct | 7:15 am | 9:30 am, 1:00 pm, 4:45 pm | 7:45 pm | 15 minutes later than usual. |
| Thu 22 Oct | 7:30 am | 9:45 am, 1:15 pm, 5:00 pm | 8:00 pm | 30 minutes later than usual. |
| Fri 23 Oct | 7:45 am | 10:00 am, 1:30 pm, 5:15 pm | 8:15 pm | 45 minutes later than usual. |
| Sat 24 Oct | 8:00 am | 10:15 am, 1:45 pm, 5:30 pm | 8:30 pm | 60 minutes later than usual. Clocks go back tonight. |
| Sun 25 OctClocks go back | 7:00 am | 9:15 am, 12:45 pm, 4:30 pm | 7:30 pm | Clocks went back an hour. Your usual times now match yesterday’s body clock. |
How it works
Two plans, the same wake windows
Shift gradually
For the days you choose before the change, wake-up, naps and bedtime all move later by an equal step until they are an hour later on the last day. When the clocks go back that night, your usual times match your baby’s body clock again.
Switch on the day
Keep your usual times until the change. On the day, your baby will probably wake about an hour early by the new clock, so the plan starts from that wake and keeps bedtime near your usual time. From the next day, aim for your usual times.
Naps from the app’s engine
Each day’s naps and bedtime come from the same wake-window rules as the BabyRelay app, starting from that day’s wake time and assuming naps of the length you choose.
| Age band | Age in weeks | Naps a day | Wake window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0–11 weeks | 4–5 | 45m – 1h 15m |
| 3–6 months | 12–25 weeks | 3–4 | 1h 45m – 2h 30m |
| 6–9 months | 26–38 weeks | 3 | 2h 15m – 3h |
| 9–14 months | 39–60 weeks | 2 | 2h 45m – 3h 45m |
| 14–24 months | 61+ weeks | 1–2 | 4h – 6h |
Wake windows get longer through the day. A nap under 45 minutes trims the next window by 17.5%, and bedtime stays between an hour before and 30 minutes after your usual time.
Clock-change week
If someone else has your baby that week
A gradual plan only works if every caregiver moves the day by the same step. Give a nanny or grandparent that day’s times from the plan, not your usual ones, and say which way you are moving them. Write them in the “Night and morning notes” line of the nanny daily log, or in “The usual day” on the grandparent babysitting sheet. To see how the week settles, shade it on the 24-hour sleep log. In the BabyRelay app, everyone in your family sees the same timeline and next nap window, worked out from the naps any of you log.
FAQ
Questions parents ask
When do the clocks go back in 2026?
In the UK, clocks go back one hour at 2 am on Sunday 25 October 2026, to 1 am. In the US, they go back one hour at 2 am local time on Sunday 1 November 2026. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not change their clocks.
What happens to my baby’s schedule when the clocks go back?
Your baby’s body clock stays on the old time for a while. A baby who usually wakes at 7 am is likely to wake around 6 am by the new clock, and naps and bedtime will feel an hour later to them than the clock says.
Should I shift gradually or switch on the day?
Either can work, and no plan suits every baby. Shifting gradually moves the whole day a little later each day before the change, so on the day your usual times already fit. Switching on the day is simpler: keep your routine until the change, expect an early wake, and let naps follow the wake windows from there.
When should I start shifting my baby’s schedule?
It depends how many days you spread the hour over. In the UK, start on Wed 21 Oct for a 4-day plan or Sun 18 Oct for 7 days. In the US, start on Wed Oct 28 for 4 days or Sun Oct 25 for 7 days. The last shifted day is the Saturday before the clocks go back. If you have left it late, choose fewer days or switch on the day.
How much should I move the schedule each day?
The planner splits the hour evenly across the days you choose: 20 minutes a day over 3 days, 15 minutes over 4 days, 12 minutes over 5 days, 10 minutes over 6 days, or about 9 minutes over 7 days. Wake-up, naps and bedtime all move together.
What if my baby still wakes early after the change?
Start the day from the time your baby really woke. The wake window calculator on this site works out the next nap from any wake time, and the BabyRelay app does it automatically from the naps your family logs.
Does a nanny or grandparent need to know about the plan?
Yes, if they look after your baby in the days around the change. A gradual plan only works if everyone moves naps and bedtime by the same step, so give them that day’s times rather than your usual ones. If your baby wakes early by the new clock, whoever is on duty should start the day from the real wake time.
How do I log sleep on the night the clocks go back?
The hour from 1 am to 2 am happens twice, so that night is an hour longer by the clock. Write times as the clock shows them and note that the clocks changed, so nobody misreads a long night. Most phones change automatically, but oven, car and wall clocks may not, so check which clock the log goes by.
Is this medical advice?
No. This is guidance, not medical advice; every baby is different. If you are worried about your baby’s sleep, talk to your health visitor, GP or pediatrician.
Sources
Where this comes from
The wake-window ranges and rules here are BabyRelay’s own scheduling guide: the same table and rules the app uses. They are not published by the NHS or the AAP. We link to them for general information about baby sleep.
- NHS: Helping your baby to sleepGeneral information on baby sleep from the UK National Health Service.
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Getting Your Baby to SleepGeneral information on baby sleep from the AAP’s parent website.
- GOV.UK: When do the clocks change?UK clock change dates.
- NIST: Daylight Saving TimeUS daylight saving time rules.
Need today’s next nap? Use the wake window calculator.
