COVID and the end of daylight savings time

Posted by Merry, Alumni 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?

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@merpreb, I might be one of the fortunate few that it doesn't bother although I have missed church once showing up an hour late and going an hour early a few times. That was before I started using my smartphone for waking up. It auto updates the time so the alarm is the alarm 🙂 I think my time in the Navy changed me into a forever up at 5 am person.

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I just dislike that it gets dark earlier...otherwise I kind of roll with it. I'm pretty flexible though because I used to work in 4 different time zones, sometimes 2-3 in the same week, and got used to adapting. Also, when we travel back & forth between our homes, length of dark/light can very quite dramatically.
Sue

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@merpreb Understand exactly what you are saying. This change of adding an hour and having an earlier evening is troubling to me, too for many of the same reasons you cite. Worse for me is the one where we "lost" an hour when the summer time one come. I despite losing that hour and have an almost jet lag response of the lost hour. I wish we woule just pick one way of keeping time without the two yealy times of switching our clocks. These time changes really mess things up for me psychologically as I don't like it getting dark earlier. Unless we all get to gether and politically (I guess) fight for a steady time, we are stuck with what we have. I try to just let it be, but I don't like our time change. It takes a goodly amount of time to get used to the changes each time change makes. I'll enjoy the edxtra hour come November the 1st, but then come the routine change, the early evenings, and the having to change lots of things in my routine. You are right that with the COVID isolation it is worse. Oh well, I guess we just have to put up with it. I think Dalight Saving is a concept none of us needs. There--I've had my say.

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@alamogal635. I'm with you 100%. I see no benefit whatsoever on this changing of time back and forth. If there's a petition to stop this, count me in.

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@johnbishop

@merpreb, I might be one of the fortunate few that it doesn't bother although I have missed church once showing up an hour late and going an hour early a few times. That was before I started using my smartphone for waking up. It auto updates the time so the alarm is the alarm 🙂 I think my time in the Navy changed me into a forever up at 5 am person.

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Chuckling, @johnbishop, because I've been guilty of showing up an hour early more than once. Luckily, not yet an hour late but since my smart phone is so much smarter than me and there are very few appts on my calendar now, I rely on my computer some days to tell me the date so I can then check the day of the week on a handy nearby calendar.

Like you, I don't suffer much from the time changes but do keep all house lights on more during the winter season because more light improves my spirits.

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@fiesty76

Chuckling, @johnbishop, because I've been guilty of showing up an hour early more than once. Luckily, not yet an hour late but since my smart phone is so much smarter than me and there are very few appts on my calendar now, I rely on my computer some days to tell me the date so I can then check the day of the week on a handy nearby calendar.

Like you, I don't suffer much from the time changes but do keep all house lights on more during the winter season because more light improves my spirits.

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Hi fiesty - I agree with your comment "Like you, I don't suffer much from the time changes but do keep all house lights on more during the winter season because more light improves my spirits" My poor husband follows me around turning off lights like we can't afford the electricity, but he always leaves an extra light on for our little guinea pig - I guess I know who counts! PS - And the light I run are all LED anyway so they don't cost much to run...
Sue

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Oh, @sueinmn, your response was my first good laugh of the day! Thank You!!! Never thought a human beein' as nice as you might find herself in competition with a guinea pig but am very glad your little special critter is receiving all he needs...what we do for our pets! Just gotta' luv it!

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@sueinmn

Hi fiesty - I agree with your comment "Like you, I don't suffer much from the time changes but do keep all house lights on more during the winter season because more light improves my spirits" My poor husband follows me around turning off lights like we can't afford the electricity, but he always leaves an extra light on for our little guinea pig - I guess I know who counts! PS - And the light I run are all LED anyway so they don't cost much to run...
Sue

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Oh, Sue.
Maybe you could join your husband in caring for the guinea pig? He would know how much ? you like piggy.

Then turn on a light near piggy. He is afraid of the dark, you know.. and may need another 💡

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@sueinmn

Hi fiesty - I agree with your comment "Like you, I don't suffer much from the time changes but do keep all house lights on more during the winter season because more light improves my spirits" My poor husband follows me around turning off lights like we can't afford the electricity, but he always leaves an extra light on for our little guinea pig - I guess I know who counts! PS - And the light I run are all LED anyway so they don't cost much to run...
Sue

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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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@merpreb

Hi, what an interesting post. I also agree with many here that daylight savings should be abolished and we seem to go through the same argument every year. I don’t know why we can’t get rid of this outdated concept.

While the change in time doesn’t bother me, it does affect how long I am able to drive during the day. I don’t drive at night anymore so I try not to get stuck anywhere where I might have to. The reverse is true in the spring which leads me to make any early morning appointments at a time when I am more comfortable driving. My eye clinic sees patients at 6:30...good grief. So I look forward to early nights because it’s kind of cozy and also to walking at an earlier hour as I am an early riser. And it gives me an excuse to binge a Netflix or Amazon series if it’s dark outside. On the flip side, since the the weather is nicer here in Florida there is less time to get outdoor work done.
I usually eat dinner between 6 and 7 but sometimes feel I should eat earlier because it’s so dark. But that feeling goes away .

As for leaving lights on for animals...my children who have dogs always leave a light on for the dogs when out. And there are night lights all over their homes. I hate night lights...there is enough illumination from all the digital appliances and computers around the house.

I’m wondering if the early darkness will bring some people to return home earlier during this pandemic.....mmmm....probably not.

Happy Halloween
FL Mary

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