The Time Change and Those on the Spectrum

[Sportster]

While looking for something amusing to post about my disdain for the time change, I came across something about it affecting those with autism. I was intrigued at that, because it has been a significant issue for me my entire life. Just about the time I start to adjust, the time changes again and I have to start all over.

So, do you have difficulties with the time change? Is it because of the disrupted sleep pattern, the change to routine in relationship to what your mind and body say, is it merely because you hate change? Some areas do not follow Daylight Savings Time, so does that have any affect?

 

[Mary Terry]

I hate daylight savings time. It has always screwed up my sleep schedule and made me depressed when I couldn't get home from work until after dark. Dark when I left for work and dark when I returned home. It was hard to get my children adjusted to it for school schedules. It contributes to sleepy drivers and increased vehicle accidents.

If daylight savings time was originally adopted to help farmers and farm children do chores - what I've always heard - then it has long lost any significance because we are no longer an agrarian society.

 

[Kyou Nukui]

I hate daylight savings time. It has always screwed up my sleep schedule and made me depressed when I couldn't get home from work until after dark. Dark when I left for work and dark when I returned home. It was hard to get my children adjusted to it for school schedules. It contributes to sleepy drivers and increased vehicle accidents.

If daylight savings time was originally adopted to help farmers and farm children do chores - what I've always heard - then it has long lost any significance because we are no longer an agrarian society.

I thought it was something to do with the WW2 and running factories without lights due to air raids.

I can't stand it just because it's illogical and untrue. People can go to work earlier if that's what they want to do. Doesn't require everyone join in a mass lie about what the correct time is! *rant*

 

[Catana]

I've never had any problem with it, other than getting used to it getting dark so "early" in the evening. Frankly, I don't know why it would be more of a problem for aspies than anyone else. If sleep schedules are affected, change them gradually over a few days before the change. NTs complain about it just as much and that seems to me to be a preference for complaining rather than having to make the least effort to adapt.

 

[Mattymatt]

While looking for something amusing to post about my disdain for the time change, I came across something about it affecting those with autism. I was intrigued at that, because it has been a significant issue for me my entire life. Just about the time I start to adjust, the time changes again and I have to start all over.

So, do you have difficulties with the time change? Is it because of the disrupted sleep pattern, the change to routine in relationship to what your mind and body say, is it merely because you hate change? Some areas do not follow Daylight Savings Time, so does that have any affect?

I like being on standard time, one hour earlier. My circadian rhythm functions much better when it gets darker earlier. It take me a while to wind down and get sleepy. I like the first Sunday in November precisely because it is the end to the anachronism called Daylight Savings Time; pun fully intended. Ironically, Daylight Savings Time is the one hour forward, and Standard Time is one hour backward - go figure.

 

[Mr Allen]

Only thing I don't like is having to alter my watch an hour forward or back.

 

[Kyou Nukui]

I can't wait for Richard Dawkins' next bestselling book "The It's An Hour Later Delusion"

 

[Ezra]

Doesn't affect my sleep that I know of. It's more how early it gets dark now that throws me off.

 

[Judge]

Throws me off every time. And then there's that matter of having to manually reset at least eight of my eleven clocks. Maybe nine- my car (?) !#@&%#*&!%@^

I used to just chalk it all up to me, until I discovered that the state of Nevada has legally sought to abolish daylight savings time for years! An issue controlled by our federal government.

 

[Mary Terry]

I did a quick Google search. It supposedly was adopted to save electricity and there is apparently some research that indicates it does save some energy. Big deal.

I hate how it screws up mealtimes. I'm used to eating dinner at 7 pm. Only now my stomach thinks it is 7 pm and is hungry but the clock says its only 6 pm.

I'm resetting clocks all over the house, too, Judge.

 

[Nervous Rex]

DST is a major annoyance. It may have saved some people a few candles in the summer before electricity was used everywhere. Now, it doesn't do anything useful.

There have been studies showing that, due to the loss of sleep after the spring DST change, there is an 8% increase in traffic accidents. (one such source: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/th...s-of-the-lunacy-that-is-daylight-saving-time/). There is also an 8% decrease when clocks go back one hour.

So, clearly, if we want to do what's best, we will stop setting our clocks forward in the spring, and just set them back every year in the fall.

 

[Pats]

I actually like this time change - I'm finally up before 10 without effort. lol I don't like when it changes back. When I worked nights at the hospital I didn't mind working an hour less but hated working an hour longer in the spring. And my only clocks in my apartment is on my phone and computer so I don't have to worry about them, but by the time I change the clock in the car it'll be almost time for time to change again - why did I bother. And I'm not sure what they do now, but I bet maintenance hated having to change clocks in every room in school and hospitals when it was the old wall clocks. One job I would not have wanted.

 

[Nervous Rex]

My own DST proposal would be that, instead of changing the clocks at 2am, we change at 1pm on a Monday or Friday.

Here's how it would work for those of us working 8 - 5 jobs:

When the clocks move forward, you go to lunch at 12. At 1, you return from lunch, set your clock forward to 2. You work until 5 and go home.

When the clocks move backward, you go to lunch at 12. At 1, you set your clock back to 12 and stay out at your nice lunch for an extra hour. You go back to work at 1, work until 5 and go home.

This is the only type of DST I would personally support.

 

[sidd851]

My mom always liked time changes.
She would tell people that you get an extra
hour of sleep both ways.

When setting the clock back, stay up until
your regular bedtime, and set it back then,
as you go to sleep.

When setting it forward, sleep until you
would normally get up, and then set it
forward.

She's right, it is an extra hour of sleep,
both ways, when done this way,
but it always seemed kind of pointless,
IMHO.

I've always enjoyed natural cycles,
including the equinoxes and solstices.
They make me feel connected.
I've heard various reasonings, for the
time change, but I've always wondered
if it wasn't just another way to remove
us from earth's, and life's rhythms,
and further alienate us from our
nature and instinct.

 

[Pats]

My own DST proposal would be that, instead of changing the clocks at 2am, we change at 1pm on a Monday or Friday.

Here's how it would work for those of us working 8 - 5 jobs:

When the clocks move forward, you go to lunch at 12. At 1, you return from lunch, set your clock forward to 2. You work until 5 and go home.

When the clocks move backward, you go to lunch at 12. At 1, you set your clock back to 12 and stay out at your nice lunch for an extra hour. You go back to work at 1, work until 5 and go home.

This is the only type of DST I would personally support.

They won't let you get away with it - I used to try that working night shift. lol

 

[Pats]

My mom always liked time changes.
She would tell people that you get an extra
hour of sleep both ways.

When setting the clock back, stay up until
your regular bedtime, and set it back then,
as you go to sleep.

When setting it forward, sleep until you
would normally get up, and then set it
forward.

She's right, it is an extra hour of sleep,
both ways, when done this way,
but it always seemed kind of pointless,
IMHO.

I've always enjoyed natural cycles,
including the equinoxes and solstices.
They make me feel connected.
I've heard various reasonings, for the
time change, but I've always wondered
if it wasn't just another way to remove
us from earth's, and life's rhythms,
and further alienate us from our
nature and instinct.

I can't make that make sense to me. (the extra hour sleep either way)

 

[Judge]

Given that autism consists of so many sensory issues, you have to wonder that for many of us, just how much artificial changes in time may disrupt our sense of circadian rhythm.

Are we inherently more vulnerable to being impacted by such changes?

 

[Progster]

I don't like it. It doesn't benefit me at all. I don't like that it's dark early in the evening. Next year, it might not change... but they've been saying this for the past 5 years or so.

 

[sidd851]

I can't make that make sense to me. (the extra hour sleep either way)

When setting the clock back, if your regular bedtime is 11pm, you would set it back to 10pm before turning in--- voila! an extra hour of sleep.
When setting it forward, you are actually sleeping from your normal bed time 'til
the time you would normally get up.
At that point, you set it an hour forward.
What actually happens, in that instance,
is that your sleep period was normal, but your waking hours have been shortened by one hour.
I know, I know, cheap trick, buuuuttt...
If you value your sleep that much...

 

[Judge]

When setting the clock back, if your regular bedtime is 11pm, you would set it back to 10pm before turning in--- voila! an extra hour of sleep.
When setting it forward, you are actually sleeping from your normal bed time 'til
the time you would normally get up.
At that point, you set it an hour forward.
What actually happens, in that instance,
is that your sleep period was normal, but your waking hours have been shortened by one hour.
I know, I know, cheap trick, buuuuttt...
If you value your sleep that much...

I do that every time daylight savings is upon us. Not in an attempt to compensate, but rather to adjust all the clocks I must change while I'm not yet so disoriented. Over the years I've learned not to do it after the fact, when I'm more likely to make mistakes or simply forget to change them altogether.

But for me it does nothing. I still wake up with that bewildered feeling...even now having gained an hour.

But then yeah...at least it's a chore I don't have to give any thought to the next morning. Except my car clock. I can't recall if it automatically changes or not. Guess I'll find out when I go out today.

LOL...that's the worst when you drive around the next day and forget you're an hour behind. Where my watch is behind and my car is ahead.