The time change was this past Sunday, where most of the world "sprang forward" to daylight saving time. Except here in Saskatchewan, along with Arizona and a few other places.
As I posted last Friday, I've always had a problem with the time change in places we've lived where it happens. I don't like losing that hour of sleep (even though we supposedly "make it up" in the fall). So, imagine my "surprise" when I saw an article on-line this morning saying the move ahead can be 'disastrous' to our health.
Some studies have linked the time change to things like heart attacks, depression and a higher risk of suicide, not to mention sleep deprivation. It can take weeks for the body to get used to the new rhythm forced on it by the time change, meaning we're tired a lot of the time. And while it might be nice to have that extra hour of daylight in the evening, some studies suggest it can lead to more traffic accidents. Although I have a bit of a tough time believing that.
The whole idea of the change was to save energy. And apparently, it does. One U.S study found there was an energy saving, but it was minuscule. Something on the order of half of one percent per day. That equates to a 0.03 per cent savings over the year, roughly 122 thousand households worth.
So, the bottom line is this. Is it worth changing clocks twice a year?
I can't answer that, but I'll say again: I'm glad I live in Saskatchewan, where we don't have to change our clocks.
TTFN
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