Last Spring at this time, the pandemic hadn’t hit our city very hard. In fact, I think we only had one or two cases of COVID-19. So, we weren’t too worried about it. Although we had started wearing masks, we were still running errands. On that first morning after the time change, I reached for my cell phone to check the weather. Trouble was, I couldn’t remember my pass code to get in. This is a code I’ve probably keyed in thousands of times. It scared me, thinking maybe it was a sign of cognitive decline. I got up, went downstairs to get the paper, had a cup of coffee. After the pass code finally kicked into my head, I realized I was in a DST brain fog. Now, tomorrow, I’m dreading the daylight savings time doldrums.
This is a real phenomenon. Losing an hour of sleep upsets our body’s circadian rhythm–the light-based cycle that tells our body when it needs sleep. Studies have found that during the first few days of daylight savings time , the risk of heart attack increases. There are also more traffic accidents and workplace injuries due to tiredness induced by the clock change.
Checked online for tips today.. The Sleep Foundation suggests that you start getting up 20 or 30 minutes early a week before the time change, so as to get your body accustomed to DST.. It’s too late for us now, because it’s already Saturday. They also suggest getting some sunlight during the day, because sunshine helps the body clock adjust. Luckily, we’ve had some warm weather, so that should be doable this week.
We would be happy if there were no time changes at all. Many states have decided to have daylight savings time all year long. . So far, 15 states have seen similar laws, resolutions, or voter initiatives approved to make DST permanent.. Those states are: Arkansas, Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Most Hoosiers are dreading the daylight savings time doldrums tomorrow. C’mon, Indiana. Lets make it permanent.