Tag: Daylight Saving time

Too Tired to Spring

Tonight is the night. At 2am tonight many of us will “spring forward” to “save daylight.”

While Benjamin Franklin did not invent Daylight Saving Time (DST), he certainly planted the idea. Back in 1784 he jokingly suggested Parisians wake up earlier to save on candles. CANDLES!

It began as a fuel-saving measure during World War I. It was first implemented by Germany in 1916 and adopted by the U.S. in 1918. It was designed to maximize daylight hours for industrial production and reduce artificial lighting needs. The policy was popularized by William Willett, who sought more evening light for recreation.

There has been plenty of talk about ending DST all together. The “spring forward” transition has been linked to a 6% increase in fatal traffic accidents and higher risks of heart attacks and strokes. DST also causes an increase in mood disturbances and hospital admissions.

The thought is that DST helps conserve energy because we won’t use electric lights. As society has evolved, however, lighting accounts for less overall energy consumption. Rather, extending the use of daylight hours encourages people to use more air conditioning and heating. Yep, we actually use more energy!

Then there is the camp that believes additional daylight in the evening hours during spring and summer are beneficial to the mental health of those who work during the day. This was proven to be wrong in a 2020 study. It showed that the time change exacerbates mood disorders, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

The time change can also mess with our body clock (the circadian rhythm) which is controlled by light. People say it’s great to have more time for outdoor activities in the evening, but in truth exposure to more light closer to bedtime makes it harder to fall asleep at our usual bedtime, and can reduce the amount of sleep we’re able to get each night.

It also messes with adolescents, who don’t get a lot of sleep to begin with. The time change will often cause them to have behavioral, learning, and attention issues, as well as an increased risk of accidents, injuries, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and mental health problems. Studies by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine show that during school days after the time change, students were sleepier, had slower reaction times, and were less attentive.

Despite all the facts that show the disadvantages of DST, it continues.

So, don’t forget to Spring Ahead tonight … and be careful tomorrow and Monday!

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

This past weekend was the end of Daylight Saving Time. It is hard enough for people on a normal schedule to adjust to this twice a year, but as a midnight person it makes it very difficult!

So many people were bragging about getting an extra hour of sleep, that meant nothing to our family. As a matter of fact, the time change has just played havoc on us all. For example, Sam just happened to be working over night on Saturday Night. What did that mean for her? An extra hour of work. Urgh!

The kids normally get up at 6 or 7am. That means that they are now getting up at 5 or 6am! That in itself is difficult, but it also screws up nap times and bed times. They get crabby an hour earlier now. It’s not always easy to push through for one more hour when they are tired. It makes it extra difficult for Sam and I.

Tonight was the first night that I had to drive to work after the time change. This is the time of year where I really struggle. It is dark when I drive to work AND dark when I drive home from work. As I drove in tonight, I actually found myself questioning if I was going the right way!

I KNEW I was heading the right way, however, it was so dark that I wasn’t seeing the normal landmarks I would see in the light. As stupid as it sounds, I looked at the Interstate signs more than once to make sure I was driving South!

My drive is just over an hour each way. When you are already sleep deprived, that drive can be terrifying. There is always the possibility of “highway hypnosis” or “white line fever,” which is when a driver has been driving for too long. Staring at the lines in the road can produce a hypnotic effect. One website states: A driver experiencing highway hypnosis may be able to operate and control the vehicle in a normal, safe manner – yet he or she will have no recollection of doing so later. Driving on autopilot is a form of highway hypnosis. Allowing highway hypnosis to take over could result in serious or fatal car accidents.

That in itself is scary! It also becomes a bit more easy to want to fall asleep while driving. There have been times where I have pulled over to nap for 10-15 minutes before driving again. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens. Usually, I can call my wife and just talking to her will help me stay awake. When you factor in other dangers (deer, snow & ice), this becomes the time of year I hate driving.

Both hands on the wheel ….