How to Survive Daylight Savings Time and Shorter Days

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I used to call the night we turn back the clocks for Daylight Savings Time my “Armegeddon” because it felt as though the darkness of winter descended on that very day—the depressing feeling when you pick up your kids from sports practice in the afternoon or leave your office and it’s already dark. I realize that by the time we get into DST, our days have already been getting shorter for four months. In fact, just seven weeks into DST, we are at winter solstice, which means the days from thereon out begin to grow longer.

We humans are not all that different from plants. Take away our sun, and we begin to wilt. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is pretty easy to understand. As seasons shift, so does the amount of sunlight, which affects your circadian rhythm, the body’s internal biological clock that governs certain brain wave activity and hormone production. In some people, the changing of mood-related chemicals can cause depression. Highly sensitive people are especially prone to depression as the weather changes. Darkness one hour earlier can shock their systems much like jetlag—generating an angry response from their central nervous system.

Here are a few ways I survive the shorter days of winter and try my best not to wilt.

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Therese Borchard
I am a writer and chaplain trying to live a simple life in Annapolis, Maryland.

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3 Responses
  1. Darlene

    I hate to be picky but we are headed back to standard time not daylight savings time. DST happens in the spring.

  2. DM

    I’m still trying to adjust, LOL.

    By the way, have you seen Bipolar First’s blog which includes a hilarious post and video on Daylight Savings Time?

    Blessings!

  3. Michelle

    I wish it were Daylight Savings Time every day!

    I think there are many people, like the author of this article, who don’t realize that the winter months are “Standard Time.”

    Thankfully, she tried to explain that the shorter days are due to the change of seasons. Daylight Savings Time is simply taking one hour of sun from the wee hours of the morning, and placing it in the afternoon/evening so that people can enjoy the sun later in the day.

    As it is, in the dead of winter, my kids leave for school in the dark, and arrive home in the dark. I would gladly endure 1 extra hour of school in the dark, in exchange for 1 extra hour of sun after school. Families need family fun-sun time together!

    So, remember…..Daylight Savings Time is Good! Standard time is bad.