I Hate Daylight Savings Time
I hate Daylight Savings Time.
Why I Hate Daylight Savings Time
Lethargy. That's what I'm feeling right now. Despite how many cups of coffee I ply myself with, despite getting up and getting busy even though I can't get my eyes to stay open, despite the lengthy hot shower I had, I cannot stay awake and keep my mind on task!
I'm grumpy. Maybe it's because I missed an hour of sleep.
I would rather play solitaire than try to do anything productive.
I should just go back to bed. That would actually be the best thing for me.
And besides all of that, I don't see the point! They talk about how Daylight Savings Time saves on electricity and lighting, but don't the street lights turn on and off based on when the sun rises and sets, regardless of what time we are awake?
Daylight Savings Is Bad For Your Health
- Studies have shown that there is an increase in traffic accidents up to 3 weeks after the spring time change.
- There is also a risk in increased depression, according to some studies.
- Increases in suicide among certain populations happen during the daylight savings time transition.
- Increased chance of heart attack is also attributed to daylight savings time switch.
- Also, there's increased chance of miscarriage in in vetro patients.
- They say, too, that work place injuries increase in number and severity on the Monday after the time change.
Other Adverse Effects
A more indirect risk observed at Daylight Savings Time, is an increased amount of cyberloitering, which costs companies money in lost wages and wasted time.
“It's been shown that Daylight Saving does little to save on energy, and studies show that energy saved on lighting in the summer months is canceled out by our increased use of heating and air conditioning,”
Why Did We Start Daylight Savings in the First Place?
The original premise of Daylight Savings Time was that the first hour or so at sunrise was being wasted, because people were used to winter being dark at that hour. Law makers thought that those hours should be used. Think of the farmers, getting up earlier and using that hour of daylight for some good. Besides that, people love having more time in the summer evenings to do things after work.
"The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S. Code Section 260a), signed into Public Law 89-387 on April 12, 1966, by President Lyndon Johnson, created Daylight Saving Time to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October."
As the old Indian purportedly said, “Only the government would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket.”
What You Can Do To Lessen the Effects
- Go to bed earlier for the last few days of Standard Time, to get your body used to the change.
- Also, on the last days of Standard Time, set your alarm to get up earlier, to lessen the shock of the early alarm on the Monday of Daylight Savings Time.
- Eat a filling and nutritious breakfast every day, starting on the Monday of Daylight Savings Time. Eating a meal signals to your body that it's time to get up and get moving.
- Go for a walk out in the early light of day. Light is supposed to help lessen the lethargy.
How You Can Help Stop Daylight Savings Time
EndDaylightSavingsTime.org has a petition you can sign electronically to abolish the time changes. I signed it first thing when I found it. Everyone needs to sign this petition to put a stop to Daylight Savings Time.
This unsafe, unhealthy practice needs to stop. Daylight Savings Time is a social experiment that did not work. It only causes more chaos. I, for one, find myself grumpy, tired, irritable, and perhaps a danger to myself if I get behind the wheel. As it is, I can't focus on my work, and found that I did a lot more cyber surfing than in previous weeks.
I say, let those people who want to use the extra daylight in the early mornings be the ones to set their alarms and get up an hour early. And let those of us who don't, sleep!
Thanks for reading, and thanks for allowing me to gripe!
References:
https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/daylight-saving-health.html
https://enddaylightsavingtime.org/
http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html
Recent Comments
17
I would prefer they keep our clocks on one time or the other instead of keeping changing it seems a waste of time and is not easy on our bodies to adjust to
I love daylight savings time. It means more daylight time in the evenings after work. I vote for year round daylight savings time.
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Hi Rhonda, this made for a good read but I don't agree with you. to his, his own I guess.
You did put a lot of work into this post it was well layout and good pros and cons.
I for one love the light and hate the winter months. I do love the light that plays on the snow though but only from my window. With a new fall of snow, the light reflex of the snow, form the lamp posts at night and it doesn't feel so gloomy. Because the lamp posts light up the night that plays off the white snow.
I lived for 31 years in Costa Rica and there are no daylight savings because they are doing close to the equator and the change is very minimal. The sun goes down a little before 6 or a little after 6. This is when I missed the north very much.
But light is I guess whatever you make it, and I beg to differ with you about farmers. They get up in the very early morning regardless of the time change and go to bed very early also their routine differs very little. But I imagine that they do enjoy the early mornings light as winter is very gloomy for them and they can get more done.
Thanks for the post it was food for thought. always a better way
Linda