Time changing is like playing 1, 2, 3 Redlight.
Many of us are caught off guard every time and aren’t ready for the switcheroo.
After winter, we changed to daylight saving time on March 12, 2023. The time was changed from 2 A.M. to 3 A.M. in the blink of an eye.
Most people adjusted their clocks before going to bed to avoid getting up at 2 A.M. to advance the clock one hour.
In the spring, we ‘spring forward’ one hour to have more sunshine and daylight for almost eight months, hence daylight saving time. Daylight saving time extends the daylight hours but also lengthens the hours of darkness in the mornings.
Millions feel the drag, lag, and sleep loss every year due to the one-hour time advancement. Losing an hour is not without challenges. And only time can eliminate the effects of the time change.
In the fall, we return to the regular or normal standard time. November 5, 2023, we had a reset to standard time, and the time changed from 2 A.M. to 1 A.M.
In the fall, we ‘fall back’ an hour.
When we ‘fall back,’ we gain an hour with more daylight in the mornings and less in the evenings.
People who forgot about the time change on November 5 were probably an hour early for work or Sunday worship service.
Thank goodness most smart devices automatically or self-adjust to the correct time.
What appears as simply resetting the time on one’s watch or clock is not so simple. Resetting time is more than a mechanical thing. In addition to the mechanical clock, we also have our biological clock to deal with.
My biological clock tells me when to go to bed, eat, wake up, and many other functions.
What is our biological clock?
The biological clock is an innate timing, pattern, or rhythm that determines an individual’s biochemical and physiological activities. These activities include alertness, sleep and wake cycles, reaction time, and more.
Our biological clock is more aligned with Standard Time than Daylight Saving Time because it’s more in sync with the rising and setting of the sun. Our bodies can tell the difference when the time changes.
Seasonal time changes affect our biological clock and can physically or mentally challenge some people.
It’s not uncommon for time changes to affect one’s mood and specific physical and mental aspects of one’s life. How one adjusts and adapts to time changes can also affect productivity and self-care.
Will we ever decide to stay the course with one of the two times?
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, choose daylight or standard
What are we waiting for?
We understand that everyone won’t be satisfied selecting one or the other.
I am among millions of Americans who want to make daylight saving time permanent.
Here are a few common sentiments.
More daylight means more time for entertainment and physical activities, especially for children.
Farmers say the change in daylight hours negatively disrupts their processes with livestock and getting things to market.
Studies reveal fewer robberies and crimes occur during daylight saving time.
Daylight saving time saves on energy use.
Who doesn’t observe daylight saving time?
Hawaii
Arizona
Puerto Rico
Guam
American Samoa
Northern Mariana Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
The U. S. Energy Policy Act mandates daylight saving time to begin on the second Sunday in March, and
End on the first Sunday of November.
Whether we spring forward or fall back, there are only 24 hours in a day. The net gain in both instances is zero.
Congress controls the green light to stop the switcheroo.
Be well.