How To Actually Enjoy The Clocks Going Back This Year
Every October the clocks go back, and we all collectively start talking about the extra hour in bed. But London is about to get darker evenings, a slower Sunday and a built-in excuse to do things differently, which seems like a lot to waste on snoozing. Here is how to turn the clock change into the start of a proper season rather than just a longer lie-in.
Use the hour to explore new parts of the city
When the clocks ticked back from 2am to 1am, the day got an odd little pocket of time tucked inside it, and London is a great place to spend it.
With an extra hour on your side, use it to get to Columbia Road Flower Market when it opens at 8am, then wander the side streets with a bunch of tulips and a coffee before the crowds arrive. Or head to the Thames Path for a slow walk along the South Bank, when the city is quiet and the light is soft.
The day gets an odd little pocket of time tucked inside it, and London is a great place to spend it.
If you would rather stay local, queue for a fresh pastry at your nearest good bakery and eat it in the park. Whatever you pick, decide the night before so the hour has a job to do.
Go outside while there is still light
The biggest shift for most of us is that the evenings suddenly feel dark very early, with sunset landing at a mildly horrifying 4:30pm in London.
Rather than mourning that, move your outdoor time to the start of the day and get out before lunch if you can. Morning daylight is one of the best ways to help your body clock settle into the new schedule. A coffee in a park, a brisk morning jog or a quick lap of the block counts, and you will feel the benefit by Monday. Setting my alarm a little earlier and getting out in the morning may feel like a labour of love at first, but it is something I never regret.
Setting my alarm a little earlier and getting out in the morning may feel like a labour of love at first, but it is something I never regret.
Pick a London viewpoint and time your Sunday around it
Sunset is now an event you can plan for, and London is brilliant at giving you somewhere to watch it, from iconic spots like Primrose and Parliament Hill to Greenwich Park. Arrive a little before the sun drops, wrap up properly and take a hot drink with you.
It is a lovely way to turn the early dark into something you actually look forward to.
Roll out a mat before the day starts
If you don’t feel quite like braving the cold, using the extra hour for a morning yoga class is a lovely way to settle your body into the new schedule.
A Sunday morning at Hotpod Yoga is a very good answer to the weather finally beginning to turn. Each class takes place inside a glowing purple pod heated to 37°C, with soft lighting, calming scents like lavender and orange and a soundtrack made just for the pod. That gentle heat helps your muscles loosen up, so you can ease into the stretches and feel properly looked after rather than stiff from the cold.
Make breakfast an occasion
The extra hour is the perfect excuse to eat breakfast sitting down, and actually make an occasion of it – after all, it is the most important meal of the day.
In terms of my top London picks, Juliet’s Quality Food in Tooting is the one for an inventive brunch, with dishes like smoked eel benedict and sourdough waffles. August Bakery on Battersea Rise is ideal for a flat white and a warm pastry, and you can take one of their sourdough loaves home for the week ahead.
Over in north London, Cafe Beam is a must-visit, serving up Middle Eastern-inspired breakfasts like shakshuka.
Check in with your mood
For many, myself included, the shorter days bring a real dip, and it is worth taking that seriously rather than pushing through. Keep up the habits that make you feel good, such as regular movement, time with friends and decent sleep. Think of the clocks going back as a cue to look after yourself properly, which is a far better use of an hour than hitting snooze.
Keep up the habits that make you feel good, such as regular movement, time with friends and decent sleep.
