A look at the archaic ritual and why the Sunshine Protection Act was DOA
Estimated reading time: 3m 37s
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If you’re like me, you may have woken up feeling well-rested but also a bit groggy on Sunday morning. And not just because it was a weekend where you got to sleep in, but because you got an extra hour of sleep when most clocks (except the ones in your car or on your microwave) in the country fell back by one hour and put us back on Standard Time. That extra hour was welcomed by many people, but it’s not without its drawbacks. For example, the sun went down at 4:40pm in my city yesterday, and it will continue to set incrementally earlier for the next month and a half until the winter solstice. Early sunsets aren’t the only downside of the time change. There are many health effects that aren’t as enjoyable as feeling like you slept in on Sunday. Clocks reverting to Standard Time can trigger the onset of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) for millions of people. The shift disrupts a person’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that governs our wakefulness and sleep cycles. While it may feel like you can shake off the time change, it can take days for your body to fully adjust, similar to when people experience jetlag while traveling across time zones. While the fall shift to Standard time can bring on SAD, the springtime shift to more daylight can be fatal: hospitals see an uptick in heart attacks and car crashes when time jumps ahead in March. |
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(Image credit: Getty Images) |
Why do we even perform this archaic ritual every year? Well, it started at the end of World War I as a measure to save fuel by adding an extra hour of daylight. This was back when coal was the primary form of energy, so not spending extra money on coal meant some relief for Americans’ pockets. But it didn’t become a permanent fixture until 1966 when Congress passed the Uniform Time Act. Even then, some parts of the nation opted out, including Hawaii, Indiana (although they joined the legion of clock changers in 2006), Puerto Rico and Guam. Our current system, where clocks spring forward on the second Sunday in March and fall back on the first Sunday in November, was instituted in 2007 after the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. But the promise of energy savings hasn't manifested in 21st century life. |
If you think the biannual switch from daylight to standard time is something we could be stuck with forever, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Last year, the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act by unanimous consent, signaling that there is some desire to have a “set it and forget it” approach to timekeeping. But the bill was never taken up in the House of Representatives. Why? That's a great question for your congressional representative. So, for now, we’re stuck with that annual early-November dance of looking at the clock on your stove and thinking you’re an hour late for work. |
(Image credit: Lucas Santos via Unsplash) |
Having trouble adjusting to the time change this week? You’re not alone! Here are a few tips for making it through to the other side. Ditch your phone and laptop a few hours before bed. Screen exposure can interfere with melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Go outside to take advantage of the daylight, even if only for a few minutes. Talk with your doctor about light therapy to help your body adjust to dwindling daylight and keep your circadian rhythm more consistent. Call your senator and representative and ask them where they stand on the Sunshine Protection Act. |
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Got something you want us to dive into soon? Let me know at [email protected].
That's all I've got for this week!
Thanks for reckoning with me, Aria |
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