Embracing Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings Time Anxiety

A few weeks ago marked daylight saving times and I think we can all agree that although the extra hour of sleep was great, “falling” back an hour isn’t quite as exciting as the extra hours of light we get over the spring & summer.  Can’t say that I’ve loved the 4pm sunset while still at my desk, either (thank god for a desk lamp to keep me going!).  On the bright side, this means Christmas is coming, but for those who struggle with their mental health, this change can be really affect your mood, energy, and day-to-day while you adjust to the lack of sunlight.

Apparently there is some method behind the madness.  According to history.com daylight saving was created by an Englishman named William Wilett so that he could spend more time in the sunlight during the summer months. Germany was the first to implement it in 1916 during World War I to conserve energy.   Personally, if we can start some sort of petition to forgo daylight savings, sign me up… twice. Daylight saving is all fun and games in the summer months, but contrary to popular belief, there actually are some ways that you can take advantage of the earlier darkness in the winter months.

Cleanse your space

It’s a great time to reset and give yourself a fresh beginning for the new seasons.  I find it to be a great time to sage your home and cleanse the space of any bad juju.  Also, sage quite literally purifies the air. I like to make it a little self-care ritual for myself — no surprises here, since I’m the self proclaimed queen of self-care.  This ritual can include setting a goal or intention for the new season, and deciding to let go of whatever isn’t serving you. Then, you can repeat your cute little mantra while you sage in a clockwise pattern around your home.

Rest and relax

You know what else the winter months are good for?  Resting! Summer, especially in Chicago, is full of nonstop activities.  Then, moving into fall you have college football moving right into the holiday season.  While you aren’t out having a jolly good time, enjoy the darker hours to go to bed earlier and rest up.  For me, my motivation to do anything on a school night significantly decreases when it’s pitch dark at 5...err..4pm.  Instead of seeing it as a total bummer, I take advantage by cozying up at home earlier. Which means kick starting my bedtime routine (because I have one, of course) earlier and getting a lofty amount of sleep.

Try something new

While you’re spending more time indoors, indulge in your favorite activities or try something new.  Always wanted to try a certain recipe (that’s more for you, not me, see #cookathomemonday)? Do it! Dive into a good book.  Right now I am deep into a Return to Love by Marianne Williamson. Haven’t tried meditation? Give it a try! There are endless facts on why meditation is good for you.  My point is, it’s a great time to look at your self-care list of things you either love or wanted to try and take advantage by doing it while spending more time indoors.

Rise and shine

Since you’re spending your evenings relaxing and resetting, you can spend those bright mornings getting up a bit earlier to jumpstart your day.  Ah, light at the end of the tunnel after all! I am certainly not a morning person, but before we push the clocks back in November, the dark mornings are just a huge buzzkill of a way to start the day.  The good news is that when daylight saving comes, we see some extra morning hours of daylight that can be put to good use!

Although the extra darkness isn’t the most ideal scenario and can exacerbate anxiety or any other mental health symptoms, there are some ways that to turn a big fat bummer into a positive.  These are just some of my favorite ways — comment below if you have any others!  Shine on