It’s the time of year that sparks the age-old debate: daylight savings. For some, moving the clocks an hour forward means longer days. For others, it means doing some serious calculations to figure out what time it is.
But moving the clocks an hour forward can have a more serious ripple effect than just confusing meeting times or plane departures.
From interrupted sleep and sluggish mornings to feeling less alert behind the wheel, even a one-hour change can throw Australians off balance. To understand just how much daylight savings affects everyday routines and driving habits, Youi surveyed Australians living in daylight-saving states*. The results show that while some people barely miss a beat, many are still adjusting well into the following week, and some are taking that fatigue with them onto the road.
One hour, big disruption?
Switching time zones can be disruptive. Six in 10 (60%) surveyed Australians report that the daylight savings clock change is at least slightly disruptive, with 5% stating the change is extremely disruptive to their routines.
Some feel the changes more than others. The generational divide is significant, with Gen Z the most likely to say the change in time is moderately disruptive (37%) compared with 9% of Baby Boomers.
Meanwhile, 60% of Baby Boomers and 48% of Gen X say that daylight savings is not disruptive at all.
When it comes to the states that move their clocks, views are relatively consistent. Nearly one in 10 NSW residents (9%) describe daylight savings as very disruptive.
While many Australians surveyed report feeling affected by the clock change, families with young children appear to bear the brunt of the disruption. New families are significantly more likely to report moderate disruption (35%), while one in four (25%) say daylight savings isn't disruptive at all.
Younger families tell a similar story. Only 25% report no disruption, compared to 56% of mature families. It's perhaps no surprise that when children's sleep schedules, mealtimes and daily routines are thrown off by an hour, parents often find themselves adjusting right alongside them. In fact, nearly half of younger families (48%) and 41% of new families say daylight saving disrupts their family or household routines, well above the overall survey result of 24%.
Retirees seem to take the time change in their stride. More than half (61%) say daylight saving is not disruptive at all, suggesting that having fewer fixed schedules and school-run commitments may make the annual clock change a little easier to navigate!
When the clocks change, so does our rhythm
If there was ever proof that one hour matters, this is it. While nearly half of surveyed Australians (48%) settle into the new schedule within two days, the other half aren't quite so lucky. More than half (51%) take longer than two days to adjust or say they never fully adapt to the clock change at all.
While most Australians eventually settle into the new schedule, 11% say they never quite adjust to daylight savings. For them, the clocks may change overnight, but the effects can linger much longer.
Gen Z appears particularly susceptible, with 34% taking between three and five days to settle into the new routine.
Meanwhile, Baby Boomers are more likely than younger generations to settle into the new schedule within two days or say daylight savings is not disruptive.
Taking time to adjust
It turns out our body clocks aren't quite as easy to reset as our phone clocks.
While some Australians bounce back quickly after the switch to daylight saving, many report needing several days, or even longer, to feel back to normal. Whether it's later bedtimes, darker mornings or simply trying to remember what time dinner is supposed to happen, daylight savings continues to have an impact long after the clocks change.
For the day-to-day lives of almost half of the Australians surveyed (45%), sleep quality is most affected by the change's daylight savings brings. Impact on sleep quality is felt most by Victorians, with over half (51%) saying this is an area affected by daylight saving.
The ripple effects don't stop at bedtime, either. Other impacts Australians report experiencing with the change to daylight savings hours include:
- Family or household routines – 24%
- Energy levels – 23%
- Exercise routine or physical activity – 16%
- Mood and emotional wellbeing – 16%
Younger Australians appear to feel the effects most acutely, with Gen Z nearly twice as likely as the overall sample to say their energy levels are affected by daylight savings (39% vs 23%).
Students are particularly affected when it comes to exercise and physical activity, with four in 10 (40%) reporting their routine is affected by the time change.
How Daylight Savings affects drivers on the road
Changes to the clocks can affect more than just our sleep schedules. Fatigue from waking up earlier or going to sleep later can influence how alert people feel behind the wheel.
After the clocks change over, 15% of Australian drivers surveyed say they feel more tired than usual when driving, while 10% say they find it harder to concentrate when driving and 10% say they feel less alert when driving.
Remaining the most unaffected, the South Australians are most likely to report noticing no difference once the clocks change over (74% vs 61% overall).
Meanwhile, the Tasmanians and the Victorians are most likely to report feeling more tired than usual when driving (17% and 16%, respectively).
Feeling fatigued behind the wheel can have consequences for road safety. Nearly 1 in 4 drivers (24%) report at least one fatigue-related incident or effect following the daylight savings change. Across all drivers, 8% missed a turn, exit or destination, 8% experienced a near miss, 4% were involved in a motor vehicle collision and 8% reported another driving impact.
Gen Z drivers surveyed are significantly more likely to report each of the listed fatigue-related driving outcomes, with:
- 19% reporting having a near miss
- 16% missing a turn, exit or destination
- 9% reporting they’d had an accident
If you're feeling a little out of sync after the clocks change, it's worth taking extra care before getting behind the wheel. Planning ahead, allowing extra travel time and avoiding unnecessary distractions can help reduce pressure on the road, particularly during busy periods of the day.
If daylight savings has left you feeling one hour behind, consider allowing extra travel time, taking regular breaks and giving yourself a chance to properly wake up before hitting the road. Drivers can also check out our 3PM Playbook, which has been developed in partnership with Road Sense Australia. It’s packed with practical tips and designed to help Australians manage fatigue, stress and time pressure behind the wheel.
Because when it comes to road safety, it's better to lose an hour to daylight savings than lose concentration on the road.
Powered by coffee and determination
When fatigue strikes, Australians are finding their own ways to cope.
Four in 10 drivers (41%) surveyed say they change their driving habits in the week following a daylight savings clock change. The most common adjustment is allowing extra travel time (13%), followed by avoiding driving at certain times (11%), leaving earlier (10%) and taking extra care behind the wheel (10%).
Some drivers are taking a different approach. One in 12 (8%) admit they've simply pushed through tiredness, while another 8% say they rely on extra caffeine to help get them through a journey.
Younger drivers are leading the charge when it comes to changing habits. Around one in five Gen Z drivers surveyed allow more travel time (23%), take extra care while driving (23%) or avoid driving at certain times (22%). However, they're also the most likely to push through fatigue (19%), highlighting the importance of recognising when tiredness may be affecting driving performance.
While daylight savings only changes the clock by an hour, it appears many Australians make much bigger adjustments to their weekly routines in response.
Turns out, one hour is a big deal
Whether you're a daylight savings enthusiast or someone who counts down the days until the clocks go back again, one thing is clear: the change affects more Australians than many might realise.
While longer evenings are welcomed by many, the survey shows that daylight savings can have a measurable impact on sleep, energy levels, family routines and driving habits. In fact, two in three Australians surveyed reported at least one area of their life being affected by the shift in time.
The findings serve as a timely reminder that even small disruptions can carry through to our daily routines and behaviour on the road. As Australians adjust to the brighter evenings ahead, taking a little extra time to rest, plan ahead and stay alert behind the wheel could help make the seasonal transition a little smoother.
After all, losing an hour might not sound like much, but according to many Australians, it's enough to leave them racing against time.
Do you agree with the daylight savings findings? Explore the data for yourself.
*Disclaimer: Data for the Daylight Savings study was sourced from a survey conducted by Ideally on the 1st October 2026, involving 1158 Australians aged 18 years old and above, residing in states and territories with Daylight Saving – NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT. Some percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number. As a result, the sum of the individual numbers may not always add up to 100%. Also, some questions allowed respondents to select multiple answers, with the data reflecting the percentage of respondents who selected each response. Survey results have not been independently verified by Youi and may not be representative of the general population. Youi makes no representation or warranty of any kind of the accuracy, adequacy, reliability, or completeness of the data and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind suffered as a result of the use of or reliance on the data. Individual experiences may vary.
