Get ready to enjoy an extra hour of daylight, and sunshine we hope, as Daylight-saving time begins very soon. On March 8, it will happen. We will be seeing daylight for a longer time each day, as we "spring forward" to make more time for work and play while the sun shines. Daylight-saving time (no second 'S' on saving, as many of us have commonly thought and frequently pronounced it) was introduced around the time of World War I. Ben Franklin is sometimes thought to have set forth the idea of saving daylight time, but he actually just proposed a change in sleep schedules.
Here is a bit of history on the subject. In 1916, Germany implemented daylight-saving time. Then, in the weeks to follow, the United Kingdom instituted "summer time."
Retail and recreation businesses championed the idea of an extra hour of daylight, rather than agrarian interests. After all, the American farmer would work according to daylight hours, no matter what the clock read. For instance, he would need to wait for the dew to dry off if haying was on his schedule, no matter what the clock said.
For decades, the practice of saving daylight hours was a hodgepodge among the various states. In fact, history tells us that in 1965, in Iowa alone there were 23 different pairs of start and end dates! No wonder memory tells me that, at age 25, I recall an abundance of discussion, especially among farmers among whom I was residing, of the pros and cons of daylight-saving time. Then, in 1966, the Uniform Time Act brought order to the discussion by setting a start date in spring and an end date in fall. These dates were adjusted over time until presently, it is the second Sunday in March for the start and the first Sunday in November for the end, when standard time resumes. States have the option of going along with the practice or not.
The thing that affects us most with the resumption of daylight-saving time is the the need for an afternoon nap for a time, since we "lose" that hour when we turn our clocks forward in the middle of the night on a Saturday. At our house, we will turn our clocks on Saturday evening, not waiting until the official 2 a.m. Sunday hour to change the clocks.
Then on Sunday morning when we look at our clocks to make sure our church attendance might be prompt, the clocks will be correct in our homes. It will take some time for our bodies to adjust to the change of our clocks, but adjust they will.
For those of us already sleep-deprived, there may be some stress or some disruption of our schedules but this can be worked through. More than just losing one hour of sleep on the night of the time change, it can play havoc with the body's circadian rhythm, which has to do with our brain's reaction to light and changes in same.
Here are a few tips on handling the time change. On the nights after your clocks are changed, go to bed at your usual time. Experts say you might experience some difficulty falling asleep because your body's clock has not yet adjusted. Get up at your usual time regularly. Perhaps a bit difficult, it will help you adjust to the time change. Avoid sunlight or bright light the first few evenings; this would tend to keep you awake later. Try to get sunlight exposure soon after awakening the first few mornings. A short nap can help make up for loss of sleep but won't help you acclimate to your new schedule.
My own advice: You are on your own! Adjust! Everything in life is a trade-off for something. You'll soon be loving your evening hours, in the yard or garden especially. Or on the golf course. Or on the tennis courts. Or on the hiking trails. Whatever it is you enjoy doing, even sitting on your deck, will be more enjoyable, I hope, for having a bit of extra time to do it after March 8!
-- Jan Mullikin is a Siloam Springs resident and former employee of the Herald-Leader. She can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Community on 03/04/2015