How to adjust to the end of daylight saving time
Daylight saving time ends this year on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 2:00 a.m. We’ll sleep another hour Saturday night, but as we approach the winter solstice on December 21st — the shortest day of the year — there will be less and less sunlight.
This can have negative health effects — including seasonal affective disorder — until Daylight Saving Time Returns on Sunday, March 13, 2023 at 2 a.m. But just changing the clock by an hour can mess up your productivity and energy levels.
This is how you adapt to the time change lose sleep. For more about Summertimelearn more about efforts so it runs all year round and how to treat Seasonal depression with light therapy
Tips for changing to daylight saving time
Light and darkness play a major role in determining our lives daily rhythmthe internal bodily process that signals when it’s time to wake up and hit the hay.
It can take five to seven days for your body to properly adjust to the time change due to disruptions in your sleep patterns and productivity. You may feel hungry earlier than usual or get sleepy earlier in the evening. Here are some ways you can adapt to the time change.
- Prepare for the time change on Sunday: Don’t use an extra hour of sleep as an excuse to stay up later. Go to bed at the same time as you normally do on Saturdays to maintain your regular sleep-wake cycle.
- Stick to a routine sleep schedule: After the clock change, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day to reset your body’s circadian rhythm. Once you get into a consistent pattern, your body adjusts to your schedule and naturally recognizes when it’s time to wake up or go to sleep.
- Try a sleep mask: If you want to wake up in the morning at your own time and not at the time of the sun, aka 6:30 am, try a sleep mask. There are options that nestle comfortably around your face and block light from entering and waking you up.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Also known as Seasonal Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a collection of symptoms that appear during the darker months and can include fatigue, depression, oversleeping, weight gain, and social withdrawal. If you have a family history of depression or bipolar disorder, your risk of developing SAD is higher, according to the Mayo Clinic.
SAD typically occurs between November and April and is most common in people living in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and other regions with shorter, darker days and colder winters.
Suggested treatments for SAD include exercise, a healthy diet, a consistent sleep schedule, and regular sun exposure. Other options include meditating, reducing screen time, and light therapy.
How did daylight saving time even begin?
The idea of daylight saving time was first proposed in New Zealand in 1895, but was not put into practice until World War I when Germany used it to conserve electricity for lighting. The US followed suit and signed a Daylight Saving Time Act in 1918 to conserve energy during the war.
Due to its unpopularity with the citizens, however, it was quickly abolished after the end of the war in 1919.
Since then, the United States has had a confusing back-and-forth with Daylight Saving Time. Federal states and cities have largely left it up to themselves whether they want to comply with the time change or not. This made it difficult for public transport services and broadcast networks to coordinate times properly.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, which established fixed dates on which the nation would collectively begin and end Daylight Saving Time. Originally TK
Since 2007, most United States have observed Daylight Saving Time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. However, any state that does not wish to participate can pass legislation through its legislature.
Do all states observe daylight saving time?
Neither Hawaii nor Arizona observe daylight saving time. In addition, 47 other states have introduced bills stop changing clocks. The measures signed into law either wait for Congress and the US Department of Transportation to end daylight saving time nationwide, or for neighboring states to join the cause so they don’t disrupt regional time zones.
Some advocate permanent daylight savings time, while others, like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, say we should use standard time all year round.
In 2022, the Senate will decide unanimously enacted the Sun Protection Actwhich would make DST permanent year-round, but it was not approved by the House of Representatives.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions about a medical condition or health goals.