David Jenkins: Time change is a nuisance

“Don’t forget to spring forward.”

“Don’t forget to fall back.”

The two most annoying statements I think I hear all year long. It is just a nuisance. When the time changes, I always fumble around trying to figure out how to adjust the clock in my car (and my wife’s), on my microwave, on my oven, only to miss one I won’t find for a couple days. Last time change, my wife didn’t even change her clock, just leaving it for a few months until it changed back.

But the clocks are even minor compared to my sleep schedule, which is pretty volatile anyway. I lose an hour of sleep and it takes my body a week to realize the change. Not to mention it is harder to wake up when it is still dark outside. And I’m sure those with children love their schedules being messed up and having them wait outside for the bus in the dark.

And why?

This nuisance began a century ago in World War I and became a permanent thing in the 1970s when President Richard Nixon, you know, the guy who “was not a crook” signed legislation mandating the clocks be moved forward in the spring as a way to save energy.

I’m not quite sure how we are saving any energy though. I understand the thought process of not having to turn on as many lights in the house in the early evening by having an extra hour of light but much of daylight saving time is during warm temperatures. Aren’t we using just as much electricity by running our air conditioners?

While reading up on daylight saving time – yes, I get the irony of losing time doing that – I also discovered that some research says the time change disrupts our circadian rhythms. Apparently those are the “physical, mental and behavioral changes” that occur naturally in response to light and darkness. This causes sleepiness, decreases productivity and triggers spikes in heart attacks and auto accidents.

Everyone is worried about the coronavirus when the time change could cause just as many, if not more, deaths. If I wasn’t so sleepy in the morning, I would be productive and contact legislators and encourage them to put an end to this madness. But I would probably have a heart attack after having a car accident anyway.

David Jenkins is co-editor of the Standard Democrat.