Daylight Saving Time: Wake Me When It’s Over
“If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo
You awaken at 9:00 am Sunday morning, same as always. Turn on the TV to watch your favorite show. But it is not on. Wait a minute. Something’s off. You glance at the clock and see it is actually 10:00 am. Oh no…you forgot to set the clock forward for Daylight Saving Time!
You know it could have been worse. It could have been a weekday. You’d be in a frenzy trying to get breakfast, get the kids to the bus stop and start your commute to work. Still, you lost an hour today. Sixty minutes that you won’t get back any time soon. And it’s unsettling. You feel off balance, disoriented, like someone suffering jet lag.
But It’s Only 60 Minutes
But those sixty minutes make a difference in your Circadian Rhythm. This is the system that regulates your sleeping and waking pattern. It is already set for your daily routine and Daylight Saving Time throws it off. Your body clock needs to readjust. It will take time for you to get reoriented.
This is Why We Do It
The overriding reason that we take one hour from morning and add it to the end of the day is to save energy. Research shows that the average home consumes less energy for lighting and appliances during Daylight Saving Time. Longer sunlight in the evening encourages people to spend more time doing outdoor activities.
An interesting fact is that the observance of Daylight Saving Time is not mandatory in the United States. Some states have opted out. Arizona and Hawaii are two that never moved from standard time, so their residents do not change their clocks.
Make It Easy on Yourself
Over the next few days while your body adjusts, practice this simple breathing exercise to restore your energy levels:
(1) Sit where you will be comfortable.
(2) Place your hands on abdomen. Breathe out air until you feel your stomach pull in.
(3) Continue to inhale and exhale rhythmically for one or two minutes.
That’s all there is to it. This breathing routine floods your body with oxygen – the energy you will need to help you cope while your body clock realigns. The good news is that most people adjust in a day or two. The better news is that you will get back those 60 minutes when you turn back the clock on Sunday, November 4th.
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