Trixology

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: elagache on February 24, 2019, 11:21:14 PM

Title: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: elagache on February 24, 2019, 11:21:14 PM
Dear WeatherCat users who must suffer through the transition to Daylight Savings,

Whatever your feelings about Daylight Savings, the transition is a pain and potentially dangerous.  Some years ago, I decided to ease the transition by getting up 15 minutes earlier every 2 days.  It does help, but a more gradual transition certainly would be even easier on your body.  This year, I'm contemplating doubling the number of days at each "decompression stop."  That would take 12 days of adjusting to Daylight Savings starting this upcoming Tuesday.  Here is the scheme on a calendar:

Sunday, Feb-24Monday, Feb-25Tuesday, Feb-26
Wake up 15 minutes earlier
Wednesday, Feb-27
Wake up 15 minutes earlier
Thursday, Feb-28
Wake up 15 minutes earlier
Friday, Mar-1
Wake up 15 minutes earlier
Saturday, Mar-2
Wake up 30 minutes earlier
Sunday, Mar-3
Wake up 30 minutes earlier
Monday, Mar-4
Wake up 30 minutes earlier
Have lunch and dinner 1/2 hour earlier
Tuesday, Mar-5
Wake up 30 minutes earlier
Have lunch and dinner 1/2 hour earlier
Wednesday, Mar-6
Wake up 45 minutes earlier
Have lunch and dinner 1/2 hour earlier
Thursday, Mar-7
Wake up 45 minutes earlier
Have lunch and dinner 1/2 hour earlier
Friday, Mar-8
Wake up 45 minutes earlier
Have lunch and dinner 1/2 hour earlier
Saturday, Mar-9
Wake up 45 minutes earlier
Have lunch and dinner 1/2 hour earlier
Sunday, Mar-10
Start of Daylight Saving time - must get up 1 hour earlier

On this scheme I'm assuming that people have breakfast shortly after getting up as usual and there may be circumstances where moving meals up won't work (such as work imposed lunch-breaks.)  Still, taking 12 days to ease your way into Daylight Savings should be a lot easier to take than losing that hour of sleep cold turkey.

Obviously there are a myriad of potential variations, but it is an idea that I've found helpful and hope will be even gentler this year.

Cheers, Edouard   

P.S. Those in the know realize that Ash Wednesday is March-6.  So those of you who thought they were escaping penance, . . .  ya' see it all catches up with you one way or another!  lol(1)
Title: Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: The Grand Poohbah on February 25, 2019, 05:43:56 PM
Edouard,

Have you found any studies on why some people are more sensitive to time changes than others? One really good example is "jet-lag". Some people recover quickly and others don't.

--grand
Title: You'd think . . . . (Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?)
Post by: elagache on February 25, 2019, 10:47:27 PM
Dear Grand and WeatherCat sufferers from time-zone disruption.

Quote from: The Grand Poohbah on February 25, 2019, 05:43:56 PM
Have you found any studies on why some people are more sensitive to time changes than others? One really good example is "jet-lag". Some people recover quickly and others don't.

I found this article that appears to capture what little is known on the subject:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165339.php (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165339.php)

Basically they only have a vague idea of what the problem is and apparently have never made so much as an attempt to provide some sort relief even if they claim it is understood to have something to do with hormones.  It is quite surprising that so little has been done.  Certainly the military will need to deploy forces across time zones and it would be very much in their best interest to keep their troops in top fighting form.  Even diplomats and heads of state would definitely benefit from any sort of treatments that could developed.

So if you think that we have a basic understanding of our world - think again!  :o

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard
Title: Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: xairbusdriver on February 26, 2019, 02:20:53 AM
It was extremely important to me and my fellow pilots (at an un-named, 'fly-by-night' airline)! We tended to solve the problem with seniority; as you grew more senior in a seat, you were able to avoid trans-continental and night time trips. But that can be a slow process as a company grows.
Title: Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: Blicj11 on February 27, 2019, 07:56:44 AM
Hey Grand, welcome home. How was the trip (aside from apparent jet lag)?
Title: Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: xairbusdriver on March 28, 2019, 10:19:31 PM
A solution (https://www.npr.org/2019/03/27/707179979/european-parliament-moves-toward-ending-daylight-saving-time?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20190328&utm_campaign=news&utm_term=nprnews) for Edouard? Move to Europe... in a couple of years... maybe. [lol]
Title: Thanks for sharing (Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?)
Post by: elagache on March 29, 2019, 10:47:04 PM
Dear X-Air and WeatherCat users who have their doubts about daylight savings time,

Quote from: xairbusdriver on March 28, 2019, 10:19:31 PM
A solution (https://www.npr.org/2019/03/27/707179979/european-parliament-moves-toward-ending-daylight-saving-time?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20190328&utm_campaign=news&utm_term=nprnews) for Edouard? Move to Europe... in a couple of years... maybe. [lol]

Thanks for the article reference.  I found these two quotes interesting:

"But the ideas that originally underpinned the resetting of clocks may not hold up, the EU found: the energy savings are marginal, the health and road safety impacts are inconclusive, and in agriculture, artificial lights and automation have lessened the importance of the time change.

A number of the EU's neighbors and trading partners have already decided against a time change, including Iceland, China, Russia, Belarus and Turkey."

Clearly the purported benefits of daylight savings are anything but scientific fact.  What I've seen of the literature, it seems certain to me that science can easily disprove most of the benefits associated with daylight savings.  The fact that such studies haven't been done is a clear indication that this is a political and social matter - not an economic and environmental one as proponents would like to claim.

The other quote I found interesting was about the Russian experience with year around daylight savings:

"In 2011, then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev decided to move Russia to summertime. The BBC reports that while the change was initially popular, residents in northern Russia complained of winter mornings that stayed dark too long, and there were reports of an increase in morning car crashes. Russia rolled back the change and moved instead to permanent wintertime."

There is a lot more popularity in the United States to stick to year around daylight savings than to revert year around standard time.  However, this is all hypothetical and wishful thinking.  Those in the northern United States already suffer through a very harsh and dark winter.  I don't think those folks really want to live through the dark mornings that daylight savings time would impose in December and January.

To me the ultimate irony is the claim that daylight savings is something we should do for the environment.  The best thing we can do for the environment is to live more in harmony with it - living with the natural cycles like our ancestors did.  Not before time pieces became commonplace, people judged the time by the location of the sun above the horizon - with noon the time when the sun was highest.  How can you truly be an environmentalist and yet insist that this primal bond we have had with nature for millennia should be upset when the outcome actually harms instead of benefiting the environment?

Thanks again for sharing,

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]
Title: 2020 decompression schedule. (Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?)
Post by: elagache on February 21, 2020, 10:29:16 PM
Dear WeatherCatters who have "issuez" with losing a hour of sleep,

Whatever your feelings about daylight saving time, I don't think anyone likes losing that hour of sleep in order to make the switch.  Last year, I started making the transition over 12 days and thought that this was a lot easier on the mind and body.   For the United States, daylight savings starts on March 8th.  Working back 12 days, that means starting this upcoming Tuesday the 25th I'll be getting up 15 minutes earlier.  Then starting on Saturday, February 29th it is getting up 1/2 hour earlier.  Finally, starting on Wednesday, March 4th, I'll get up 45 minutes earlier.  So if you would also like to ease the transition here is at least one possible recipe to follow.

Cheers, Edouard   [cheers1]

P.S. Besides, if you follow this scheme, you get an extra 15 minutes to celebrate Mardi Gras! . . .   [biggrin]
Title: Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: xairbusdriver on February 21, 2020, 11:36:50 PM
Since you are such a kind friend, please add 15 minutes to your schedule to cover my sleeping/waking! Thanks so much! ::) [rolleyes2] ThU5:-) cmu:-)
Title: Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: Blicj11 on February 22, 2020, 08:12:03 PM
Our state legislature here in Utah is considering a bill that will put us on permanent daylight saving time. It requires two things to go into effect:
This bill has passed the Utah Senate and is schedule to be heard in the House. There is tremendous public support. It is high time this ridiculous nonsense of semi-annual clock manipulation is put out to pasture.
Title: Re: Decompressing into Daylight Savings time?
Post by: xairbusdriver on February 25, 2020, 02:34:57 PM
Edouard
Just for you (please don't post about this to others), I've managed to get something I hope you will find useful in your endeavors with Day Light "Saving". [computer] I cannot promise this will happen every year or that my "contacts" will always be available (politics are fickle...). :o This year you can have an extra 24 hours, along with whatever daylight that may include based on our path around the Sun. [sun1] Right now that extra day is scheduled for the day after February 28. [banghead] I apologize for the late notice and hope you can fit this extra day into your schedule without too much inconvenience. [sleep]

Don't thank me. It's the least I can do and I always do the least I can. [rolleyes2]