Half-term is here, there's a chill in the air and we're on the road to winter.
This all means the mornings have been getting progressively darker at the time your daily alarm wakes you up - until the clocks go back and (briefly) give us an extra hour of daylight.
Clocks move back in autumn to claw back an hour of daylight in the morning. In spring, we do the opposite, by pushing the time forward an hour.
The switch means our clocks shift from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time.
In October, it means we get an extra hour in bed too! Nowadays, many electronic devices update their clocks automatically, but some are not that smart.
When do the clocks go back?
The clocks go back an hour at 2am on Sunday, October 27.
Will my mobile phone update?
Yes, it should do. Apple iPhones, iPad and Macs update automatically. Just check you have ‘set automatically’ turned on in your ‘date and time’ settings. The same goes for all smart phones.
Mobile phone network operators also change times accordingly, so you should not have to worry.
How about the clocks in my car?
Some modern cars - especially those with flashy computer consoles - will change their clocks automatically. But for those of us on older models, you will have to change it yourself.
What about my kitchen appliances, electronics and security lights?
Clocks on ovens and microwaves will need to be adjusted manually. The same goes for security lights, in most cases you will have to reset the timings on these yourself.
New smart TVs should update their clocks, older models you will have to do yourself.
Why do we change the clocks?
During the First World War Germany and Austria introduced clock changing in a bid to save on coal consumption. The Allies followed suit. It is believed adding extra daylight hours into the working day saves on energy.
Pulling back the time in Autumn means the mornings are lighter for commuters going to work. But it does mean it gets darker quicker in the evening.
How to remember
It may be American but you can't argue with the easy-to-remember phrase "spring forward, fall back" to know which way the clocks go. And it means that you gain an hour on the day you turn the clock back in autumn and lose an hour on the day you turn it forward in spring.