It may seem as if winter will last forever, especially as the days grow colder still, but fortunately that is not the case.

Reprieve from the long hours of darkness is just around the corner, when spring brings with it Daylight Saving Time and the turning forward of the clocks.

Although it means one less hour of sleep, the increase in daylight will feel worth it in the long-run.

When do the clocks go forward in the US?

The clocks will go forward on Sunday, 8 March at 2am.

Most clocks, digital watches, and smartphones will change automatically to reflect the new time, but if you have an analogue clock, set a reminder to turn the clock forward an hour.

To ensure your phone will update on its own, double-check in the “Date and Time” settings tab on your device.

How will this affect me?

To make the time change easier, which can take your body up to a week to adjust to, neurologist and sleep expert of the Cleveland Clinic Tina Waters, MD, suggests making small changes in the weeks leading up to the start of Daylight Saving.

She recommends going to bed and waking up 10 to 15 minutes early each day - which will help your body slowly adjust, as well as maintaining a consistent schedule, having a nighttime ritual, and avoiding long naps, which can make it more difficult to sleep at night.

It is also important to remember that Daylight Saving Time is not followed by some states - so the existing time differences increase by an hour in states that do not turn clocks forward.

Why do we follow Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight Saving Time was introduced by Benjamin Franklin as a way of saving energy during the summer.

However, the practise didn’t become widespread until 1918 - when “Fast Time” was introduced during the war.

In 1942, the practise was again introduced by President Franklin D Roosevelt, and made permanent in 1966, under the Uniform Time Act.

The new law created a country-wide uniform rule for Daylight Saving Time, while also offering states the option to opt out.

Arizona, American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands all do not observe Daylight Saving Time.

When will the clocks go back?