Exercise - March 2026: The Clock Change Workout - How to Train When the UK Clocks Go Forward (Without Feeling Wrecked)
- James Pickett
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Author: Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
Length: 4 minute read
Category: Exercise, Heart Health,
Lets begin with a little reminder:
In the UK, the clocks will go forward by one hour at 1:00am on Sunday 29 March 2026 (BST begins).
On paper it’s “just an hour”. In real life, that lost hour can show up as:
poorer sleep for a few nights
lower energy and higher irritability
worse appetite control
sessions that feel harder than usual
people skipping exercise entirely, then losing momentum
This post gives you a simple, cardiac-safe way to train through the change without forcing it.
Why the clock change affects training
When the clocks jump forward, your body clock doesn’t instantly follow. Evidence reviews consistently show the spring transition can worsen sleep duration/quality and increase sleepiness (especially for “evening types”).
This matters because sleep disruption tends to do three things that affect training:
it makes moderate effort feel harder
it reduces recovery (your legs feel heavier, your mood drops)
it increases the chance you’ll go “all-or-nothing”
So the plan isn’t “push through”. It’s train smarter for 7–10 days, then resume normal progression.
The rules for a safe clock-change week
1) Protect sleep first (even if it’s not perfect)
Keep a consistent wake time and a boring wind-down. NHS sleep hygiene advice supports regular sleep hours and avoiding screens close to bedtime.
Head to our sleep guide for more information:
2) Reduce load, don’t cancel the habit
Your goal that week is consistency, not performance.
3) Aim for light-to-moderate effort
Use the talk test:
Easy: can talk comfortably
Moderate: can talk in short sentences, but not sing
Too hard (for this week): can’t get a sentence out
The structure of a safe session (use this every time)
Warm-up (10 minutes)
Start slower than you think you need. Aim to finish the warm-up feeling settled, not breathless.
5 minutes very easy walk / march
3 minutes mobility (ankles/hips/upper back)
2 minutes building to “easy” pace
Main phase (10–30 minutes)
Most people do best with walking this week.
keep it easy to moderate
if you want intensity, use short intervals and keep them controlled
Cool-down (5–10 minutes)
Bring heart rate and breathing down gradually.
3–5 minutes slower walking
1–2 minutes relaxed breathing (long exhale)
The 10-day plan (3 days before + 7 days after)
Days -3 to -1 (Thu–Sat): “shift gently”
Move bedtime 10–15 minutes earlier each night (if you can)
Get morning daylight soon after waking
Keep sessions easy
(If you can’t change bedtime, don’t stress. Just protect the week after.)
Days 1–7 (Sun–Sat): “keep it moving, keep it steady”
Pick the version that fits your current stage.
Option A: Beginner / returning / post-cardiac confidence
3 sessions + easy walks
Day 1: 20–30 min easy walk (talk easily)
Day 2: 10–15 min easy walk + mobility
Day 3: Rest or gentle walk
Day 4: 20–30 min easy walk
Day 5: 10–15 min easy walk + light strength (bands/bodyweight)
Day 6: Rest or gentle walk
Day 7: 25–35 min easy walk
Goal: finish each session thinking “I could do that again tomorrow.”
Option B: Intermediate / already consistent
2 easy + 1 controlled session
Easy session 1: 30–45 min easy walk (talk easily)
Easy session 2: 25–35 min easy walk + 10 min light strength
Controlled session:
10 min warm-up
6 rounds: 1 min moderate (talk but not sing) + 2 min easy
10 min cool-down
Rule: if you feel flattened the next day, reduce rounds or keep all sessions easy for a week.
What not to do in the week after the change
Don’t test a new Personal Best
Don’t add more volume and more intensity in the same week
Don’t punish yourself for feeling sluggish
Don’t move bedtime later to “cope” (it usually backfires)
My Movement Medicine quick tips for the clock change
Keep “minimum viable training” ready
If you’re tired, the win is a short session:
10-minute walk
5 minutes mobility + 5 minutes easy walk
1 set of resistance band basics (row, press, sit-to-stand)
Use a “daylight anchor”
Try to get outside for 2–10 minutes soon after waking. It helps your body clock shift.
Make caffeine earlier (if sleep is fragile)
If you’re struggling to fall asleep, move caffeine earlier and keep evenings calmer.
Contraindications / reasons to stop exercise (always)
Stop and seek advice if you develop:
chest pain/pressure/tightness
dizziness or faintness
severe or unusual breathlessness
palpitations with symptoms
feeling unwell or unsafe
If symptoms are severe, treat it as urgent.
SMART challenges
Short-term (7 days): “Keep the habit week”
Specific: Do 3 movement sessions this week (walks count).
Measurable: 3 sessions completed.
Achievable: All at easy–moderate effort.
Relevant: Maintains routine through disruption.
Time-bound: 7 days.
Longer-term (14 days): “Back to normal”
Specific: For 2 weeks after the clock change, do 2 easy sessions + 1 progression session (or all easy if you’re returning).
Measurable: 6 total sessions.
Achievable: Progress only one thing (time or intensity).
Relevant: Restores momentum safely.
Time-bound: 14 days.
How My Movement Medicine can help (if you want structure)
If clock changes, stress, or disrupted sleep tend to derail your routine, structured support makes this easier:
Phase 4 cardiac rehab C.I.C. group sessions (in-person and online): safe pacing, clear progressions, in a supportive environment
Confidence with intensity: learn to use the talk test and Borg RPE so exercise feels safe and doable
Keep an eye out on our online programmes page for some upcoming ways to move and get healthy
If you’d prefer a more personalised approach, one to one support is available, especially if you want help rebuilding confidence, working around symptoms, or returning to exercise after a health event
Trying a new activity? Approach it the right way with some support from our Activity Specific Guides:
Book recommendations
Why We Sleep — Matthew Walker (sleep basics and recovery)
The Sleep Book — Dr Guy Meadows (practical CBT-I style strategies)
Four Thousand Weeks — Oliver Burkeman (attention, time pressure, and calmer routines)
Evidence references
UK clock change date and time (29 March 2026, 1am) — GOV.UK / Royal Observatory.
Review evidence: spring DST transition associated with worse sleep duration/quality and increased sleepiness.
NHS sleep hygiene guidance: keep regular sleep hours; avoid screens close to bedtime.
This health guide was written by Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
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