It’s that time again. The days are
getting shorter, the air a bit crisper and we can start taking our sweaters and
scarves out of storage. Time for flannel pj’s, Ugg boots, hot tea, and cozy
movie nights.
Fall also brings us a seasonal rite of
passage: the changing of the clocks. This year, Daylight Saving Time
ends on November 6 at 2 am. That means we get an extra hour of sleep (on that day only) than
what we’re used to. We'll move our clocks back one hour, going to standard time
and gaining back that hour we "lost" in March when we switched to
daylight saving time.
(I’m gonna digress here) Since I’m not a farmer, I never
really did understand the need for Daylight Savings Time. A great portion of the planet goes about its
life just fine without Daylight Savings Time and civilizations haven’t
crumbled. Economies haven’t collapsed. There hasn’t been anarchy. I just don’t get it.
The official reason for Daylight Savings Time is that during
the winter, when the days get shorter, clocks are turned back an hour to get as
much light out of the day - during the most active hours. Ok. Got it. My question
still is, “who’s benefiting from this?”
In the end, it doesn’t matter who’s benefiting or why this
practice was implemented. The fact is, for years we’ve had our schedules
tossed around in the fall to accommodate the end of Daylight Savings Time and
when the dust settles, we walk away with a whole extra hour. How often have you
asked for more hours in the day?
Take this time to initiate a Fall Home Refresher.
You’ll feel better through the winter months if you take a little time now
(that new found hour) and check one or two of these off of the list.
Change the batteries in your
smoke detectors
Take the time to make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are
in working order and have fresh batteries. Flames can consume a home in as
little as five minutes, and the risk of dying in a fire is cut in half in homes
with working smoke alarms.
Bed Care: Flip your mattress and
wash your pillows
To make sure your mattress wears evenly, you should flip it every six months.
Got a pillow-top? Just rotate it instead of turning it over. Also, oils from your face, dead skin, and
dust mites accumulate in your pillow over time, so they need a good cleaning
twice a year. Owned a pillow for more than two years? Replace it.
Take stock of your medicine
cabinet and pantry
Now is a great time to de-clutter your stash of food and medical supplies. Toss
anything that has expired.
Replace or clean filters around
your house
You should inspect the filters in your heating and air-conditioning units to
make your systems are still running well, but also check the water filter in
your fridge and HEPA filter in your vacuum.
Clean the oven.
In preparation for holiday parties, make sure your kitchen is in ready shape
by running your oven's self-cleaning function — or getting on your hands and
knees and doing some old-fashioned scrubbing. We have a fantastic oven cleaning
solution on our Pinterest board. Search
@jbmhhfmwr.
Need help adjusting to the new time difference?
Stick to a schedule
One of the best ways to cope with Daylight Savings Time is to stick to your
same schedule. You may be dragging for a little bit but your body will adjust
in a few days and you won’t even notice it. Try not to add extra time in bed or
go to bed early if you can as it just throws your body off, making you
groggy or harder to get started in the mornings.
Take a catnap
If you are just dead on your feet and can manage a nap, don’t take a long one.
A 20-30 minute catnap can work wonders on your energy level. A long nap can
make it harder to fall asleep at night as you won’t be tired. Sleep well
Be sure you are sleeping well for the first few nights until your body adjusts.
If you are having trouble falling asleep, try coming up with ways to make the
room completely dark to trick your body into thinking it’s time to sleep. Wear
a sleep mask or get some blackout curtains for the windows.
Workout
Exercise is a great way to help wake your body up and get ready for the day
thanks to the serotonin that is released. I’m not much of a morning exerciser
but when I do, it is always better than coffee. The same goes with exercising
after work. Nothing makes me sleep
better than a good workout (provided the workout isn’t too late in the
evening).Good luck with the time change!
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