COVID and the end of daylight savings time

Posted by Merry, Volunteer Mentor @merpreb, Oct 25, 2020

November 1st marks the end of daylight savings time or what is called "summertime". Turning our clocks back to Standard Time is supposed to make better use of natural light. Even gaining one hour of sleep messes up our circadian rhythms because is controlled by our hormones that regulate hunger, mood, and sleep. And when that gets something different it doesn't like it.

Changing back to standard time really messes up my sleep. I don't seem to get one more hour and may wake up an hour earlier. And I already feel that my times are messed up from self-isolating with my husband at our end of a dead-end street. The only thing that appears to change is the color of the leaves and when the sun rises and sets. And a lot of times I'm not even sure what day it is. It's such a weird time. This just adds to an abnormal lifestyle for me.

The times that I eat, sleep, and take my medicines will also change. The amount of natural light changes to less in the afternoons and night.  I, therefore, have less light to help with my depression and PTSD. A couple of years ago I bought a Verilux lamp that I use every morning for a half-hour. I also tend to get more migraines so this light helps to lessen those too.

Every fall I try hard to change something that will help me adjust to these changes better. I think that this year I am going to put more lights on in the house earlier to help me get going better and sooner. Maybe I'll even exercise earlier too.

What changes will you make to accommodate the changes in sleep and the disruptions that this will cause in your life?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

@imallears- I thought that I wouldn't drive at night either. After I had my cataracts done I could. But, lol, I chose not to! We do not have great drivers in RI so I'm glad to be off the roads. Have you had your eyes done yet?

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A little tidbit of history for daylight savings time - http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html. When I lived in Aberdeen, South Dakota and worked for IBM, I had customers in the capital Pierre, SD and also had one in Ft. Pierre, SD which is across the river and in a different time zone...really used to mess me up when I had early appointments.

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@merpreb

@imallears- I thought that I wouldn't drive at night either. After I had my cataracts done I could. But, lol, I chose not to! We do not have great drivers in RI so I'm glad to be off the roads. Have you had your eyes done yet?

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@merpreb
Hi,
Yes I had cataracts done in 2009. Best thing I did. But I do have early onset Macular Degeneration....still stable. I had a detached retina in the 1980s so my right eye is my worse eye. I just noticed over the past several years that my night vision is not as sharp and generally my overall vision may be less sharp. ..it's a subtle change. Because of the night vision I don't see as far ahead as I used to. I only use glasses for driving and occasional distance and will get a new RX probably next year as I am overdo. I will do occasional very local night driving but only under duress.

We have an older population in Florida in my area and....boy oh boy....you have to keep your wits about you when they are on the road. I am part of that older population but figure I would do the world a favor and stay off the roads at night.

FL Mary...keeping our State safe

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@katiejo59

Hi, fiesty & sueinmn...comments made me laugh. That guinea pg is loved; don't know much ~ them but must like the light on. I keep just about all lights on almost @ the very start of dusk & I'm not a fan of these extra-long evenings. Decided I'd get started to learn to play guitar & will keep you posted as to my progress. Oh, and often I fall asleep w/ many lights on. Kathy

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Thanks, everyone. It was meant to be humorous. Spunky is just about the most spoiled critter on the planet - a poor substitute for snuggling our little boys, but you take what life offers. We have been known to make an extra run to the produce market to keep him in fresh veggies, but we don't mind. He came to our daughter as an abused rescue, and she couldn't keep him with her herd of females because she doesn't want to become a breeder, but he needed to be nursed back to health. By the time he was well enough to adopt, he was settled in here...

Sadly, we only see the kids/grands outdoors now because my son-in-law travels to Covid hot spots in his work - he is extremely cautious, but not all of his coworkers are the same. Outdoors is not so easy since snow has come early here.
Sue

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@johnbishop

A little tidbit of history for daylight savings time - http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html. When I lived in Aberdeen, South Dakota and worked for IBM, I had customers in the capital Pierre, SD and also had one in Ft. Pierre, SD which is across the river and in a different time zone...really used to mess me up when I had early appointments.

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@johnbishop
Interesting bit of history...what a hodgepodge until they got it right....maybe. Your different time zones when working is a cool story...mental gymnastics

FL Mary going out on the road now while the sun is a shining.

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@sueinmn

Thanks, everyone. It was meant to be humorous. Spunky is just about the most spoiled critter on the planet - a poor substitute for snuggling our little boys, but you take what life offers. We have been known to make an extra run to the produce market to keep him in fresh veggies, but we don't mind. He came to our daughter as an abused rescue, and she couldn't keep him with her herd of females because she doesn't want to become a breeder, but he needed to be nursed back to health. By the time he was well enough to adopt, he was settled in here...

Sadly, we only see the kids/grands outdoors now because my son-in-law travels to Covid hot spots in his work - he is extremely cautious, but not all of his coworkers are the same. Outdoors is not so easy since snow has come early here.
Sue

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@sueinmn- I love that you have a guinea pig! I have my little 5lb Amelie- a gray Tabby. I guess for now we will have to be outside too for any gatherings because RI has terrible numbers now. Our Governor was doing so well but for whatever reason, she isn't now. There is no mandate for wearing masks. All she does is scold. woopie-doo!

I can't believe that you have snow already! We are so warm here. I hate it.

@imallears- Funny about the older population in your neighborhood. Staying home, especially now, is a terrific idea and much safer given our current pandemic. I'm sorry that you have experinced early onset Macular Degeneration. I hate driving at night and like you, onlu under duress.

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@merpreb - I agree with your thinking! Standard time means dark by 5. When I was working it meant driving home in the dark. Now it means I have to walk my dog earlier and afternoon tennis( if I ever play again) requires balls that glow in the dark! Wish they existed...
2 of my kids use the “sun”lamps a lot- they have fibromyalgia and disturbed sleep.
I think the spring change is much harder to adjust to.
Up in Northern Sweden there is no sun at all for a long time. I almost ended up going to med school there, but decided to go south to southern Germany! Good choice- the wine, the beer and the wurst.

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@astaingegerdm

@merpreb - I agree with your thinking! Standard time means dark by 5. When I was working it meant driving home in the dark. Now it means I have to walk my dog earlier and afternoon tennis( if I ever play again) requires balls that glow in the dark! Wish they existed...
2 of my kids use the “sun”lamps a lot- they have fibromyalgia and disturbed sleep.
I think the spring change is much harder to adjust to.
Up in Northern Sweden there is no sun at all for a long time. I almost ended up going to med school there, but decided to go south to southern Germany! Good choice- the wine, the beer and the wurst.

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@astaingegerdm- In these long days of COVID-19 time just seems to ripple like water after being disturbed. I would not do well with all dark or light days. The present milieu in America does not do anything the help alleviate this sensation, it only makes it easier to stay within the ripples. I wish...

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@merpreb

@imallears- I thought that I wouldn't drive at night either. After I had my cataracts done I could. But, lol, I chose not to! We do not have great drivers in RI so I'm glad to be off the roads. Have you had your eyes done yet?

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@imallears and @merpreb, I was delighted at how improved my distance/driving eyesight improved following cataract surgery. For the first time, I was able to have the eyeglass restriction removed from my license and that was pure joy.

However, I've noticed that street lights/signs are now harder to read at night. They seem to have a haze, less clarity. I ordered some "night vision glasses" that really help but as Merry wrote, drivers in TX aren't great during the best of times either, are terrible on slick streets and foggy weather and I doubt my reflexes are as sharp as they once were so I rarely drive at night now.

Longer, dark colder days just make me want to hibernate, curl up with music, a good book, a mug of hot tea and feel sorry for those who have to be out and about. Surprisingly, I've learned that there are others who feel very energized by dark, colder weather.

Keeping up with one time zone is challenge enough for me! A salute to @johnbishop for having managed two!

@FLmary, Thanks for the smile and Kudos to you for "keeping your state safe". These days every smile is appreciated.

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Hey there @merpreb and everyone. This was fun. Lots of different issues all over the place depending on where you live. My farm family said it was to help the farmers get up early to milk the cows. The school folks said it was to prevent children from waiting for the bus in the dark. Now I find out from history that none of it was true.......it was a battle issue.

I laughed at what it must have been like during the time before the Uniform Act was passed with folks crossing time zones every day. Since I am a CA gal.....I still have a hard time up here in MN. Hey...here you go......now I recall....the only place I have lived where there is no need for a seasonal time change......Hawaii. We watched the 9 pm sunset most of the year thanks to the equator location.

Wherever you are......plug in a light......transfer to LEDs. Just like @merpreb......I suffer from the lack of light. My smile even turns down. Guess that's called a frown.

May you all have joy and sunshine today.
Chris

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