Daylight Savings Time (DST)

I love spring, when everything buds and shows signs of green. I love the birds chirping, and the temporary waterfalls created by the snow run-off on my hill. I love daffodils and tulips and crocuses with their bright gaudy colors. I love the burst of gold from the forsythias, and I love all the flowering trees in their pale pastels. I love the earthy smell of the air, and the emerging warmth from the sun on my back as I work in my flower beds. I also love the longer daylight hours that DST affords us. The problem is that both the emergence of spring and DST are brutal on my body.

The constant pressure changes as spring battles to subdue winter wreaks havoc on my overly sensitive neurological system. One day I feel great, the next day I can barely move, and I battle with constant exhaustion at this time of the year. Even worse, though, is the time change.

We only advanced our clocks yesterday, so I have not yet begun to feel the effects of springing ahead. But this time change can be brutal, my body needs a regular schedule. When it suddenly finds itself waking up at what was 5 am, now disguising itself at 6 am, it sends my body into havoc. Spring is when I suffer the most serious effects of chronic fatigue, sometimes lasting for weeks.

Interestingly enough, when I talk with friends, and they mention after the time change that they are tired. I'll say, "it's the time change." They always seem surprised. "Oh, I never thought of that." Why not? Your body is getting up an hour earlier everyday. If you set your clock for 5 am in the winter instead of 6 am for a week, wouldn't you be more tired that week? 

Take for example some of these headlines:

Springing Ahead: Is It Hard On Your Health?

Experts Say Daylight Saving Time Affects Sleep Cycle, Circadian Rhythms

http://www.latimes.com/health/hc-weir-daylight-savings-0311-20110310,0,7658463.story

Is Daylight Saving Time Bad for Your Health?
The Lasting Effects of Lost Sleep
http://healthland.time.com/2011/03/12/is-daylight-saving-time-bad-for-your-health/

Daylight Saving Time: How to Recoup That Stolen Hour

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/daylight-savings-time-sleep_b_833572.html

If you take time to read any of these article, clearly you'll see that there are health risks associated with DST.

I am well aware of how the time change affects my fibromyalgia. The question is, armed with this knowledge, can I avoid the fatigue I've experienced in the past by allowing myself more time to rest over the next few weeks? Will my schedule allow for the rest I need to prevent a flare? Stay tuned!