Fall back this weekend
daylight saving time
Time to spring forward! Daylight Saving Time begins March 12
Get ready to lose an hour of sleep, but gain an extra hour of daylight! Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 12. That’s when you’ll move your clocks forward by one hour and “spring forward.” The event is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Daylight Saving Time ends on Nov. 5 this year.
Eye On The Street: Daylight Saving Time
On Tuesday March 15, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent. That doesn’t mean it’s a done deal. The House of Representatives still has to meet and agree to pass the bill before it can go to President Joe Biden to sign. Also, it wouldn’t go into effect until 2023.
Be that as it may, we here at TBR News Media thought it would be interesting to see how people felt about the news, so we headed out to the streets of Port Jefferson on a sunny Friday afternoon to see what local passersby thought of the prospect of never having to move their clocks forward and back each year.
Here’s what they had to say:
Samantha Falese, West Islip
“I love the sunshine. I’m a morning person, so when I get up, it might be a little bit darker, but I like the idea of coming home knowing it’s light out because I work about an hour away.”
Rachel Guglielmo, Port Jefferson
“I’m looking forward to it staying like this. I like getting out of work and being in the sunlight instead of leaving work and it being all dark out and making me feel like my day is all over. I’m more motivated when it’s light out.”
Connie Poulos, Selden
“I’m happy about it. If it’s like, so that it doesn’t get dark at 4 o’clock, that would be nice. I’m looking forward to more sunlight.”
Gwen Coady with grandson Jack, Saint James
“My husband does construction. If he works later in the summer, it stinks. If it’s daylight, he keeps on working. The other way, he keeps more of a schedule. But I do like the daylight savings because I love to be outside.”
Allison Marin, Port Jefferson
“I think I like the changing back and forth because it kind of gives you something to look forward to that day — when you know you’re getting the hour back. I don’t love losing it necessarily, but when you get the hour back, you kind of feel like you won. You know? Like you want to do something big with your hour. You have to make it worth something. I think it’s kind of fun.”
Stephen Malusa, Selden
“I like it. Finally get rid of that nonsense. Changing back and forth is just an annoyance.”
Editorial: Buy a flashlight and stay safe at night
With the ending of daylight saving time around the corner and the fall season officially here, it’s beginning to get dark earlier.
While cool autumn nights are a nice break from the hot and wet summer we’ve just had, what comes with the pleasant weather is also nighttime appearing closer to 6 p.m.
The worst part about the darkness creeping up is that many people still act as though the sun is still out during the late evening. It’s not, and we all need to be careful.
When the sun is shining, drivers are able to see pedestrians walking, biking, skating — but not so much anymore with the season change. Dog walkers are normally good about bringing a flashlight, and cyclists almost always have reflectors on their bikes — but a few do not, and they can get seriously hurt if both parties are not paying attention.
But it isn’t just the people outside getting their exercise and enjoying the fresh air who are at fault. Drivers need to slow down.
The combination of darkness plus speeding can cause a catastrophe. Both parties would be at fault.
And then there are the deer and the other woodland critters that live in our backyards. Unfortunately, they don’t own a flashlight, so it’s our responsibility as good humans to keep an eye out for the animals who dart into the street.
If we are driving slowly and cautiously, there’s a good chance we can avoid them and let them be on their merry way. If we don’t, not only could we kill the poor animal, but they can cause serious damage to the car and to us.
While we appreciate the lights we have on our local streets, it’s not enough. Please, don’t wear all-dark colors while out during an evening stroll. Do bring a flashlight or indicator that you are there. Be aware of your surroundings — if you want to listen to music on your earphones, keep it down so you can hear if a car is heading your way. Remember to walk against the traffic. If you’re a cyclist, go in the same direction as the vehicles.
And drivers, as we said, be mindful of our neighbors taking advantage of our beautiful North Shore. Slow down and enjoy the ride, too.
Spring Ahead: Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday morning
Get ready to lose an hour of sleep, but gain an extra hour of daylight! Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14. That’s when you’ll move your clocks forward by one hour and “spring ahead.” The event is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, Nov. 7 this year when we’ll move our clocks back an hour and lose an hour of daylight.
Time to spring forward!
Get ready to lose an hour of sleep, but gain an extra hour of daylight! Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8. That’s when you’ll move your clocks forward by one hour.
The event is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Daylight Saving Time ends Nov. 1 when we’ll move our clocks back an hour and lose an hour of daylight
Did you know?
Most parts of North America will begin Daylight Saving Time on March 8, 2020, at 2:00 a.m., respective to their time zones. In the European Union, “Summer Time” begins at 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday in March, which this year will be March 29. The change is made at the same absolute time across all time zones respective to Greenwich Mean Time, which also is known as Universal Time.
One reason DST is still practiced in many areas of the world is to push an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening and make better use of this daylight. There are various origin stories linked to DST, including one that involves Benjamin Franklin. DST also has been touted as a way to save resources during times of war or as a means to helping farmers be more prosperous.
However, despite the many proclaimed benefits of DST, there are many detractors who insist that there are no perceived benefits. Some of these DST naysayers say switching the clocks twice a year can negatively affect the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Various efforts both domestically and abroad have been instituted to abolish DST, but as of 2020, it remains on the calendar.
Coping with fewer hours of daylight
Daylight saving time comes to an end each fall, at a time when the hours of available sunlight already are beginning to decline. Daylight Saving Time ends in 2019 at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, marking the time when clocks “fall back” and people gain an extra hour of sleep.
How to cope with the shorter days:
Some people are more accustomed to darkness than others. Norwegians, Swedes and people living in Alaska and the upper reaches of Canada near or above the Arctic Circle may go through a period when winters can be especially dark. Fairbanks, Alaska, gets just three hours and 42 minutes of sunlight on the winter solstice. Those in Barrow, Alaska, will endure a period of 67 days of darkness, according to Alaska.org. Residents of Seattle, which is even further north than cities such as Fargo, North Dakota, or Portland, Maine, deal with more darkness than those living outside the city may know.
Although much of the rest of North America doesn’t experience such profound periods of darkness, when the darkness of fall and winter arrives, it can be difficult to maintain a positive outlook. Borrowing some of the coping mechanisms relied on in northern latitudes can help many people to see the dark in a different light.
· Be aware of SAD. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons, beginning and ending at about the same times each year. Symptoms tend to start in the fall and continue into the winter, sapping energy and making a person feel moody. As with other types of depression, SAD can get worse and lead to severe problems if left untreated. Light treatment, talk therapy and medication can help people who are susceptible to SAD.
· Make daylight hours count. Spend time outdoors while the sun is bright in the sky. Make an effort to switch your schedule if work interferes with getting outdoors, even if all that can be managed is an outdoor walk at lunch. Sit by a bright window and soak up rays whenever possible.
· Celebrate winter activities. Go skiing, snowboarding, outdoor ice skating, or snowshoeing. Look forward to winter for what can be done, rather than what can’t.
· Socialize more often. Instead of holing up indoors alone, frequent the places that become indoor gathering spots for locals. These can include coffee houses, breweries, restaurants, or even the local church. Plan more social occasions with friends and families so everyone can collectively shoo away the winter blues.
· Exercise more. Use the darker hours as an excuse to exercise more, be it at the gym or outside. The Mayo Clinic says that exercise and other types of physical activity can relieve anxiety and depression, lifting an individual’s mood as a result.
· Light a fire. Set the kindling ablaze in a fire pit, fireplace or woodburning stove, or just light a handful of candles. Flames can be soothing and less harsh on the eyes than artificial light.
Fall and winter darkness does not have to send a person into the doldrums if he or she embraces the right attitude.
