Allow me to cast my vote in favor of doing away with Daylight Savings Time.
There were various reasons stated for making Daylight Savings Time standard in the U.S. in 1966, after using it temporarily during both world wars. Energy savings and the promotion of outdoor activities are the most widely-credited reasons.
(Note: It didn’t take long after this article was posted online for someone to correct me that it’s Daylight Saving Time, not Savings. I found sources both ways, I’m sticking with Savings.)
The energy-saving reference is apparently for things like electricity, rather than human beings. For most people, Daylight Savings Time brings on a permanent feeling of exhaustion and fatigue, cured only by a return to Eastern Standard Time in October.
Of course, in this age of video games and smartphones loaded with fun apps, there are no such things anymore as outdoor activities. Oh sure, sometimes people will sit outside to play games on their smartphones, but it’s not necessary.
In fact, most of us don’t like to be separated from our electronic media devices, such as our televisions, even when we’re outside. Outdoor flat screens on patios or decks designed to show movies or TV shows are increasingly common. We’re willing to go outside, but only if we can watch TV.
I would prefer staying on Eastern Standard Time, where it gets dark at a reasonable hour. Even during the longest day of summer, God obviously wanted it to get dark no later than around 8 p.m. Now it’s light until 9 or 9:30 p.m. through most of June or July. It makes me uneasy that we’re playing around with nature like that.
Our dog, Paisley – we named her after her collar and leash — hasn’t been herself since the time change. I go to wake her up around 8 a.m. and she’s still sound asleep, in spite of the fact that I changed the clock in her room.
Darkness descending as it naturally should helps the world quiet down a little bit. More daylight just encourages more commotion. I am anti-commotion.
Studies show that Daylight Savings Time is bad. Take my word for it. You probably won’t take my word for it, so I’ll quote someone called a “chronobiologist” who will agree with me, which will make what I say more credible.
From a Washington Post story: “’Light doesn’t do the same things to the body in the morning and the evening,’ Till Roenneberg, a chronobiologist at Ludwig-Maximilians University, told National Geographic. Roenneberg actually believes that our sleep clock might not ever adjust to our self-imposed Daylight Savings Time shifts — which is kind of a terrifying thought. ‘More light in the morning would advance the body clock, and that would be good. But more light in the evening would even further delay the body clock,’ Roenneberg said.”
See? Now you have to believe me, because a chronobiologist agreed with me. Our sleep clock “might not ever adjust” to Daylight Savings Time. NOT EVER!
Sorry, I’ll calm down. I’m just extra irritable due to Daylight Savings Time.
To be fair, that same story says that a Facebook study shows that “folks are actually in a better mood in general when Daylight Savings Time starts — presumably because we get to do fun, sunshine-y, springy things instead of emerging into the twilight when school and work end.”
Naturally, that came from a Facebook study which, thanks to the Russians, is full of fake news. Do not believe the Facebook study! Believe the chronobiologist! As I pointed out, nobody does sunshine-y, springy things. We have our smartphones.
City councils, school boards and other such public bodies that meet in the evenings are adversely affected by Daylight Savings Time. Why? Because people hate going to meetings when it’s so nice outside and they could be sitting on their porches or patios playing on their smartphones.
Studies show that most of the really, really bad decisions made by councils and school boards are made during the months when Daylight Savings Time is in force. If you don’t believe me, I’ll find a chronobiologist to say so.
Daylight Savings Time also negatively impacts me because it’s still dark when I get up. As everyone knows, I come to work very, very early, and don’t believe Rocky Coss if he tells you otherwise. He might be a good judge, but he’s no chronobiologist.
History probably would have been negatively impacted by Daylight Savings Time if it had been in practice. The famous midnight ride of Paul Revere probably wouldn’t have happened until 1 a.m. because of everyone playing on their smartphones late into the evening. The British would have come and conquered, and today we’d all be forced to buy wedding gifts for Meghan Markle.
In conclusion, to paraphrase a quote from my favorite movie, “Bride of Frankenstein,” Eastern Standard Time good, Daylight Savings Time bad. Fire bad, as always, with or without the time change.
Reach Gary Abernathy at 937-393-3456, or follow on Twitter @AbernathyGary.
