The weekend before last, when we all turned our clocks back one hour, the UK changed from being on British Summer Time (BST) to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

So what is GMT? Greenwich Mean Time is the yearly average or 'mean', of the time each day when the sun crosses the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

For some of us, turning back the clocks by just one hour can affect our general wellbeing and our 'circadian rhythms' can be disrupted.

Circadian rhythms are the 24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock, running in the background to carry out essential functions and processes. One of these essential processes is the sleep/wake cycle, and changes to sleeping patterns can affect how alert our girls are at school and their ability to engage fully in their learning.

Here we share our tips for staying healthy and positive now that the clocks have gone back.

Lights out!

Try to maintain a consistent and healthy sleep schedule. This will support your circadian clock and help you not to feel over-tired at school.

Commit to be fit!

Taking exercise will improve your sleep quality and help you sleep longer. It is also a great stress-buster and will help you to enjoy the school day.

Hello Sunshine!

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones; it helps us to absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. Our bodies create vitamin D from direct sunlight on our skin, but in the winter we rely on getting vitamin D from food sources as well as sunlight. Try including oily fish or fortified cereals in your diet and taking care not to burn, enjoy short periods outside when the sun is smiling!

Remember it is important to ask for help if you need it. You can always talk to the School Counsellor, the Chaplain or any adult at school. The Young Minds website also has helpful information – you can find the website here.