The government was ordered to stop changing the clocks as doctors issued a warning

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A group of scientists and doctors have called on the government to scrap the twice-yearly time change in the UK.

The time change due to take place this weekend is damaging the nation's sleep, the British Sleep Society (BSS) has warned.

Members of BSS, a professional body for medical, scientific and healthcare professionals, said the evidence clearly shows that natural daylight in the morning is good for sleep patterns, while changing clocks has a negative impact.

The company said in a statement that it “strongly recommends” using Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) – the time at which clocks are set back – throughout the year.

They argue that circadian rhythms – the physical, mental and behavioral changes we experience over the course of 24 hours – are most affected by the forward movement of clocks in spring.

The call comes as the clocks are set to go back this weekend. It is understood the government has no plans to change the daylight saving time system.

In the UK, clocks go forward one hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March and go back one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October.

The period when clocks are one hour ahead is called British Summer Time (BST) and sometimes also Daylight Saving Time.

When the clocks go back, the UK applies GMT, also known as standard time.

The statement comes from scientists across the UK, led by Dr. Megan Crawford from the University of Strathclyde, Dr. Eva Winnebeck from the University of Surrey and Professor Malcolm von Schantz from Northumbria University.

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Prof. von Schantz said GMT “aligns closely with the natural light-dark cycles of day and night” and “natural daylight in the morning is crucial for the optimal alignment of our body clocks between day and night, which is essential for optimal sleep .” and general health”.

He added: “Restoring permanent standard time (GMT) would mean our clocks would be closely aligned with solar time, and although this would lead to earlier sunsets in the summer, there would be additional health benefits through improved sleep and circadian timing Orientation due to increased exposure to morning sun from fall to spring.”

Dr. Winnebeck said: “What we often don’t realize is that Daylight Saving Time (BST) changes our schedules, bringing them forward by an hour while daylight remains the same.

“It forces us all to get up an hour earlier and go to work or school. In seasons with fewer daylight hours, like now in the fall, this means that most of us have to get up and commute in the dark.”

Dr. Crawford said there is “a misguided idea from a sleep and circadian health perspective” that clocks should constantly move forward.

“Morning is the time when our internal clocks have the greatest need for light to stay in sync,” she said.

“In our latitudes, there is simply no extra daylight to save in the winter months, and given the choice between natural light in the morning and natural light in the afternoon, the science supports light in the morning.”