Every year we turn our clocks back in the fall for Daylight Savings Time (DST.) This one hour change makes me crazy. The mornings start off with more light but darkness greets me an hour earlier and it’s disturbing.

For many others, it’s more than disturbing  –   it’s dangerous because depression, moodiness and lack of energy sets in when sunlight disappears. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can send happy, healthy people into a state of flux.

One woman I know had a light box on her desk at work. It substituted for natural sunlight during the winter months. It was her medicine to help her stay sane. Most important of all, it helped her feel grounded when she the rest of her was out of balance.

Remember, for those of us without SAD who feel a shift in attitude due to less light, shorter days, and weather changes we can benefit from additional time outside. Scheduling short walks throughout the day (because if we don’t schedule them …) will help more than you can imagine. You will end up saying to yourself, “why don’t I do this more often?”

The thing is – I’m not ready to say goodbye to the summer even though it’s actually fall. The autumn here has been so warm, colorful and inviting that it’s difficult for me to understand Saturday is November 1. On November 2, the Daylight Savings Time begins.

I’ll change the clock back one hour but I won’t do it with a smile…

Related articles

• Daylight Saving Time Is Bad For Worker Health (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)
• Here Comes the Sun  (margekatherine.com)
• Seasonal Affective Disorder: Bring on the Light (health.harvard.edu/blog)
• When is Daylight Savings Time in 2014? (mercurynews.com)
• Daylight Saving Time: Everyone Hates It at Least Once a Year (webpronews.com)
• Permanent winter: Russia turns back clocks for last time (therebel.org)