New week. New month.
It’s the first Monday in March, and that means it’s time for me to . . .
Spring – fickle, elusive Spring – is ever-closer. (Even up here in Michigan.) I’ve seen robins. The hellebores in my garden have buds. Residual snow is melting fast. JoJo is shedding more. Spring is coming!
And you know what that means? Daylight Savings Time!
Yes, my friends. We spring forward this Sunday morning (March 12) at 2:00 am.
There seems to be quite a spectrum of feelings about the whole time change thing. On one end of the scale, we have people who just kinda roll with it and say, “meh” and change their clocks without comment. (That’s me.) And on the other end of the scale, we have people who are incensed about it. (That would be my dental hygienist, who once ranted about Daylight Savings Time for my entire dental cleaning session.) (Trust me . . . I had no plaque when I left that appointment.)
One thing for sure . . . I’ve never met anyone who LIKES the time change.
So I thought I’d Start Your Engines this month with some tips for making the DST transition easier for you, wherever you may fall on that spectrum.
According to the Sleep Foundation, even though the time changes only by an hour, it’s the abruptness of the change that causes problems for most people (in terms of sleep disruptions and mood disturbances). They suggest preparing yourself for the upcoming time change with the following recommendations:
- Gradually adjust your schedule the week before the time change. Start going to bed 10-15 minutes earlier each day leading up to the time change, for example. If you have a standard meal time or workout time, try moving the timing forward gradually, too. Easing into the new time schedule will help you adjust to the new time quicker.
- Take good care of yourself in the days before the time change. Get plenty of sleep. Eat well. Keep moving.
- Set your clocks ahead before you go to bed on the night of the time change. You’ll hit the ground running when you wake up — and perhaps you’ll avoid “time mishaps” (y’know . . . when you show up for brunch an hour late).
- Prioritize daylight exposure on the days following the time change. Natural light (even if it’s cloudy) is the main factor in setting our bodies’ circadian rhythms. It’s best if you can get outside in natural light on the Sunday morning of the time change for a while, and then as often as you can in the early days as your body adjusts to the new time. (If it’s too cold, you can also benefit from sitting near a window.)
- Don’t over schedule yourself on the Sunday/Monday immediately following the time change if you can help it. Accept that you’re going to feel “off” a bit, and try to plan ahead.
- Take a short nap if you need one. Just be careful that you don’t take a nap too late in the day, as that may exacerbate difficulties with falling asleep/staying asleep at night.
With a little planning and thinking ahead, maybe you can make the time change . . . a little bit easier.
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How about YOU? What do you think about the upcoming time change? And what do you do to get yourself acclimated to a new time?
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March is here.
Let’s get ready for Daylight Savings Time!
Start Your Engines!
I am with you in the *roll with the change* camp. Steve on the other hand… he is like your hygienist on steroids… for weeks proceeding and weeks after! Yes, he is complaining already… and has been for weeks. And yes, I am really over it! LOL
I actually thought about the upcoming time change and my Lipitor… I have been gradually moving the time I take it so I will be “back on the normal schedule” when clocks change! Ha… sometimes older is wiser! XO
I figure it’s a necessary evil that I have to do whether I like it or not, but appreciate your tips. I really used to dread it when the boys were little because they were messed up for a while, but since I’m no longer responsible for their sleep schedules I won’t complain too much!
You might want to change your intro sentence. It’s the first Monday in March, not February 😉
Time change, I just cope. But it’s really hard on pets if you don’t work on adjusting their meal times.
I’ve never been really bothered by the time change. I just wish we would/could not do it (like Arizona)! Once I retire I won’t pay any attention to it – I won’t have places I have to be or things I need to do by a certain time. Even now, working from home makes it easier because I don’t have to get up and go to the office.
The fall time change really upended my sleep patterns this year so it will be interesting to see what happens next week. I also heard that there is a strong possibility that we won’t have the time changes anymore and that would be okay with me.
Eye roll with occasional comment. I sure wouldn’t mind if we never fiddled with the clocks again!
I guess I fall on the really don’t care. It is what it is and I roll with it.
BUT …………I prefer EST when the afternoons get darker earlier and I can cozy up inside. I KNOW I’m on the minority on this one. LOL
I’m meh as well…it happens. It is alway nice to not have anything to do that morning though!
OH your hygenist and I could have a field day! We voted to abolish the time change (and I think that means staying ON daylight savings forever) along with the good citizens of Washington and California but we need congressional approval maybe? I’m not a fan but I never suffer that much.
I personally think we should just stick with standard time, though really it’s the changing back and forth that annoys me the most. At least at this stage in my life I don’t have too much trouble adapting to the change; typically I go to bed a little earlier on Saturday and change the clocks ahead of time so I feel like it’s already happened.
The time change doesn’t bother me too much but I do think it’s a nuisance. And it sure doesn’t help that The Oscars are on the night after we spring forward! I will keep your ideas in mind, though, especially the one about exposing myself to more daylight.
I don’t have too much trouble adjusting to the time change but I am retired and have no kids at home. That said, I wish we could just pick one or the other and stick with it. Your idea about exposing oneself to daylight is new to me. It sounds like a good idea and I’m going to try it.
I am THAT person who loves this time change! I adjusted the clock on the microwave late yesterday afternoon and we spent the rest of Saturday on DST (including going to bed at 9:30pm DST – we’d both had full days, so that wasn’t too hard). I do love the bit of advice about maximizing exposure to the sun, but we won’t see any today. hopefully tomorrow we can do that! Hope your transition is an easy one, too – happy March!!