How to Adjust to the Start of Daylight Saving Time
On Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m., it’s time to “jump up” and watch the departure of summer time. The good news? We benefit from more daylight in the evening and can spend more time outside after work. The bad news: We all lose an hour of sleep, which can be detrimental impact our mental and physical health. But we don’t have to endure these side effects while lying down (as much as we want to lie down and take a nap). To prepare and adapt to the change to daylight saving time, you can use these tips.
4 Ways to Adapt to Daylight Saving Time
1. Enjoy the morning sun
The start of daylight saving time marks the start of later sunsets and longer evening daylight. While this may be good news for people who prefer to spend time outside after work, we all lose an hour of sleep, which can disrupt our circadian rhythm. To combat this and get the Health and Sleep Benefits of Morning Sun ExposureSpend time outside in the morning to reset your internal clock, even if it means rearranging your routine.
2. Slowly shift your bedtime
To prepare for Daylight Saving Time, start shifting your bedtime a week in advance by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. By the time you lose an hour of sleep on March 8, your body will at least be better prepared to handle the change.
3. Try a sleep mask
Consider trying a sleep mask. This may be more relevant in fall or winter, but it can benefit anyone who likes to wake up at their own time, not the sun’s. There are options that fit your face comfortably, preventing light from leaking in and waking you up before you’re ready to take on the day.
Or, if a sleep mask isn’t your cup of tea, maybe blackout curtains will be a better fit.
4. Set your clock the night before
When the time changes, setting your clock the night before allows you to wake up at the new time, avoiding delays and potential confusion. It can also help your body’s internal clock adjust to the time change with less disruption to your daily routine.
How Daylight Saving Time Started
The idea of daylight saving time was first proposed in 1895 in New Zealand, but it was not put into practice until after World War I, when Germany used it to save electricity for lighting. The United States followed suit by adopting daylight saving time in 1918 to save energy during the war.
But it was quickly repealed in 1919 after the end of the war due to its unpopularity with citizens.
Since then, the United States has had a confusing and conflicting relationship with DST. For the most part, states and cities have had to decide for themselves whether they want to observe the time change. This made it difficult for public transportation services and broadcast networks to coordinate schedules properly.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, which set fixed dates on which the nation would collectively begin and end daylight saving time. Since 2007, most of the United States has 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 is allowed to pass a law through its legislature.
Not all states observe daylight saving time
Neither Hawaii nor Arizona observes daylight saving time. Additionally, 47 other states have introduced bills abolish the time change. The measures that have been signed into law are either waiting for Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation to abolish DST nationwide or for neighboring states to join the cause so as not to disrupt regional time zones.
Some advocate for a permanent DST change, while others, like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, believe we should adopt standard time all year round. In 2022, the Senate unanimously passed the sun protection lawwhich would make daylight saving time permanent year-round, but it was not approved by the House. However, no further updates have been made to make this legislation a reality.
