Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time

The clocks have changed! Are you ready to settle in with those long, dark winter nights? For some, DST means that it’s almost that time of the year that you have to scrape ice off your windscreen before leaving for work. That time of the year you think you might get frostbite jumping out of the shower. That time of the year it’s a little more acceptable to wear socks in bed. However, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. There is a certain comfort that can be derived from the colder Autumn and Winter months.

Comfortable clothes. Cosy nights in. Hot chocolate. These are just some of the simple pleasures to enjoy when you are taking shelter from the elements at this time of the year. You can also make the most of losing a few hours of sunlight by having beautiful outdoor lighting for your home.

What Is Daylight Savings Time?

DST is when we alter our clocks by 1 hour. We do this so that darkness falls 1 hour later than before. This allows us to extend the period of daylight within a day. In the Spring, we advance our clocks so that nightfall appears to come earlier - even though it's at the expense of an hour in bed! In the Autumn we set them back to standard time again. So, during this time of the year when the days are shorter as the nights close in earlier, we gain that hour back. For example, if the sun starts setting at 5pm in October, we readjust our clocks back to GMT so that sunset will be 6pm instead. In a calendar year, there is a single 23 hour day in late Spring and a single 25 hour day in late Autumn.

When Do The Clocks Change?

In the UK, we set our clocks forward by 1 hour in the Spring. Officially, this happens at 1am on the last Sunday in March. To reconcile, we set our clocks back by 1 hour - back to standard time (GMT) - in the Autumn. This happens at 2am on the last Sunday in October.

Daylight Saving Time Calendar

Is Your Outdoor Lighting Ready For Daylight Savings Time?

So, are you prepared for the shorter days and longer nights of Winter? If you have timers on your lights, then you might need to adjust them manually although some digital systems do alter themselves automatically. Maybe you have just updated your outdoor areas and need to add some lighting fixtures so that you can continue to enjoy the space as it gets darker and colder. If you are considering some new outdoor lighting, we have a huge range of different styles to choose from.