People will have noticed a fine old stretch in the evening this month as daylight hours extend with summer just around the corner.
With sunshine set to remain across the country for a good spell this week, people will find themselves reminding each other of the trusted phrase "spring forward, fall back".
The clock will change in just a matter of days, but thanks to digital clocks on mobile phones that automatically change, most shouldn't be caught out with the hour difference.
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This year the clocks will go forward an hour on Sunday, March 27 and will then go back again on Sunday, October 30.
Under EU law, clocks in all member states must go back an hour on the last Sunday in October and go forward the last Sunday of March.
Iceland is the only exception to the rule as it observes the Western European time zone all year round.
In America and Canada, daylight saving time (DST) starts at 2am on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday in November, while in Australia, the clocks go forward on the first Sunday in April and go back on the first Sunday in October.
Countries such as China, Japan, and India, do not follow DST.
The change was made law to make the best of natural light as the earth travels around the sun.
As it is naturally darker during the winter, the time goes back, giving people an extra hour's sleep in bed and in summer, the clock goes forward to allow for longer evenings.
However, the whole concept may be scrapped eventually as on March 26, 2019, the European Parliament voted in favour of removing Daylight Saving Time permanently from 2021.
The decision was based on an EU-wide survey, which resulted in the majority of people opting to scrap the process.
The result of the survey, however, may have been skewed as 70 per cent of responses came from Germany, followed by France and Austria.
The last clock change was due to take place in Spring 2021, but the proposal was put on the back burner while the world coped with Covid-19.
Under the draft directive, member states would be able to choose whether to remain on "permanent summer" or "permanent winter" time.
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