How to Adapt to Daylight Savings Time
Never thought we’d discuss such a controversial topic here on The Copper Chronicle, but here we are. Daylight Savings Time has been the bane of many, the benefit of few, and the bringer of befuddlement for all. Twice a year Daylight Savings gives or takes away an hour, shakes up our sleep cycle, ruins our crops, sours our milk, steals our identity, chops down our rainforests-
Okay, maybe we’re being over-dramatic. But we digress - Daylight Savings has been a huge pain for everyone in the US since its establishment in 1918, supposedly after some clown found a satirical letter written by Benjamin Franklin in which he joked about how daylight savings caused cities to lose lots of money on candles and that people should be woken up every morning via cannon blast, which to be fair is very funny.
We suppose the finder of the letter took it seriously, which is less funny.
But could that all end soon?
That’s right, folks. Sen. Marc Rubio (FL) and Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL) reintroduced a bill (titled The Sunshine Protection Act) to make Daylight Savings Time the Only Time - and it passed the Senate!
While exciting, don’t hold your breath: it still has to pass the House and be signed into law, which means even if it does pass it won’t happen this year. Bummer.
We can’t change Daylight Savings for 2023 (which starts March 12th), but we can show you how to survive it without losing too much of your sanity. Tips, tricks, educational tidbits, training time changes, top-tier gear, and more will be discussed!
You’re about to learn a lot, so buckle up:
What is the Point of Daylight Savings?
What (or who) is Daylight Savings even for?, we hear you ask. We asked that too, so we did some research:
The main idea behind the time change is to maximize the total amount of sunlight that the Northern Hemisphere receives. The goal is to lengthen the amount of sunlight we get at the end of the work day, as days lengthen in the spring and shorten come fall. It begins at 2am local time on the second Sunday of March (losing an hour), and ends at 2am on the second Sunday of November (gaining an hour).
Makes sense on paper, right? Off paper though, it mostly just confuses people and creates a substantial impact on our mental and physical health. Believe it or not, that hour gain/loss does quite a bit to our bodies.
How Does Daylight Savings Affect Our Bodies?
Great question! We’re about to give you a less great answer: it affects our bodies in many ways, all of them bad:
It Can Mess Up Our Circadian Rhythm
Our circadian rhythm is always set by the timing and amount of sunlight exposure we get during the day. According to Northwestern Medicine, DST gives us “less morning light and more evening light, which can throw off [our] circadian rhythm”.
As a result, we feel more tired in the morning and more awake in the evening.
Other Short and Long-term Health Issues
Not only are we more tired during DST, we’re more susceptible to:
Depression
Weight gain
Cluster headaches
Slowed metabolism
Digestive and immune diseases
…And those aren’t even the worst ones. There is actual proof that the start of DST coincides with a 24% higher rate of heart attacks, an 8% higher rate of strokes, and even a 6% spike in car crashes!
In short, Daylight Savings is doing even more harm than just making our manual clocks wrong twice a year.
How Long Does it Take to Adjust to Daylight Savings?
It depends on the person, but on average, it takes our bodies about a week (give or take) to adjust completely. Imagine it like mild jet lag. It takes quite some time to get accustomed to new time zones, right? This is like that, except we don’t get to enjoy the nice vacation afterwards.
Are There Any Benefits to Daylight Savings Time?
Hey, maybe we’ve been a little biased. Daylight savings isn’t all bad, right? There are a few silver linings to it that we can discuss here. While DST does a number on our health, here are a couple benefits:
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We get more light in the evening (for a few months, anyway)
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Robbery rates seem to drop
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Uh….
That seems to be it, actually. The idea that it saves energy has been disproven, and the idea that it stops traffic accidents has also been debunked. So…maybe we’re not so biased after all?
How Can You Adapt to Daylight Savings Time More Efficiently?
We’ve driven home that DST probably does more harm than good, but what can we do about it? We’ve got you covered - here are some great ways to ensure that you’re prepared for the eventual time change:
Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Sunlight
Not having enough sunlight is one of the main catalysts behind Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD, for short. Clever!). Thankfully, there are a lot of ways we can soak up the rays we’re missing with that lost hour. Try getting out a little earlier, or taking a break from work to walk in the sun.
Not enough time in your schedule or sun in your area? No problem. Grab a sunlamp (they run pretty cheap on Amazon), and spend at least an hour in front of it. You can be watching TV or doing other things, as long as you’re getting the time in. You’d be surprised how effective this is!
Don’t Eat Late to Maintain Your Schedule
We don’t just mean late night snacks (don’t do that either, though) - we mean moving your typical dinner time up, too. This will help you move up all of your other time-cue habits, and make the adjustment easier on your stomach.
Go to Bed 15-20 Minutes Earlier
Best way to combat DST? Beating it at its own game, of course! If DST is going to take an hour away from us like some kind of time ghoul, we might as well prepare accordingly by going to bed a bit earlier. This will give your body a good chance to adjust.
Set the Right Sleeping Environment
You should really do this all the time, but we know that doesn’t always happen. To best prepare for the time shift, try to keep your room quiet, dark, and cool. Close those windows, turn that fan on, draw the blinds, and catch some serious Z’s.
Exercise Early in the Day
There are oh-so many benefits of exercising in the morning. Not only does it:
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Put you in a better mood
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Improve focus
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Lower health risks
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Help you sleep better
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Help you form better eating habits
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Boost your energy
