I have been trying to understand Daylight Saving Time (which will hereafter be designated as DST) since…well, since the first time I remember turning the clock back in the 1960’s. I am the first to admit my brain does not easily comprehend scientific data, so I have never been able to understand how changing the time by one hour on one day causes all the following twenty-four-hour-cycle days to fall into place. Am I making this more complicated than need be? Probably. In simple words, DST takes away an hour of sleep in the spring and gives it back in the fall. Taking the technology up a notch (which is usually where my confusion starts), DST is the practice of setting clocks forward one hour from Standard Time in the spring and setting clocks backward one hour from DST in the fall in order to make better use of natural daylight. So, from spring to fall, we observe DST. From fall to spring, we observe Standard Time (defined as a uniform time for places in approximately the same longitude, established in a country or region by law or custom).

Spring forward; fall back. Simple…or not. Just in case your mind is like mine and does not quite compute, here are the times for sunrise and sunset on Saturday, November 6, 2021, the day before DST goes into effect this year: 7:45 a.m. and 6:17 p.m. (local time). But the very next day – Sunday, November 7, 2021- the sun will rise at 6:46 a.m. and set at 5:16 p.m. Of course, to make this work, we mere humans must turn our clocks back one hour at or about 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, the “official” time of falling back. The experts advise us to do this before going to bed Saturday night. I know people that wait days…or even weeks (especially when the clock is hard to reach!) 

In 1966 approximately 100 million Americans were observing DST, which was based on local laws and customs. At that point, Congress decided to step in and end the confusion… uh-oh.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 stated that DST would begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October; states could exempt by passing their own laws if they chose to do so. Since then, several details have been enacted to this uniform system, including one in 1972 revising the law to read, “…if a state was in two or more time zones, the state could exempt the part of the state that was in one time zone while providing…” You get the idea.

In 1986, legislation changed the start date for DST from the last Sunday to the first Sunday of April. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed the start/stop dates once again – to the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November beginning in 2007; Congress retained the right to revert to the 1986 law should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings were not significant. I would like to suggest an idea: let it be.

Just in case you are wondering (you need something to think about during that extra hour next Sunday), the German Empire and Austria-Hungary organized the first nationwide use of DST in 1916. Since then, many other countries have tried and accepted or rejected DST. The 1970s energy crisis caused its popularity to grow. Countries located near the equator do not usually observe DST as the length of days and nights are nearly equal. Although popular in Europe and North America, a minority of the world’s population including most countries in Africa and Asia (the most populous continents) do not observe DST.

Now that you have a little history, let’s talk about the present and how turning your clock back one hour may affect your loved one. 

The most relevant concern is the effect the time change may have on a person’s circadian rhythm, the natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats about every 24 hours. In other words, a personal internal clock. This explains why, when I follow my normal routine of bedtime at midnight, I usually wake from an engaging dream at eight in the morning, wide-awake and raring to face the day (well, sometimes). It also explains why when I must set my alarm for an early appointment, the shrill bell is an unwelcoming signal that calls me somewhat unpleasantly from a less than full night’s sleep. (Yes, I have attempted to go to bed early when my schedule dictates rising early, but alas, my circadian rhythm kicks in and I lie in bed, tossing, until midnight.)

Circadian rhythms are known to effect physical, mental, and behavioral changes in the body. Most people recognize that changing the clock for DST has some effect. Whether these are slight or more noticeable depends on several factors including age, normal activities, overall health, and eating and sleeping schedules. For someone who already experiences confusion due to any form of dementia, this change can prove to be more disruptive.

While most people recover from the time change in a day or two, those with dementia may feel perplexed for a longer period. Caregivers should watch for any changes in behavior, including increased agitation, restlessness, confusion, frustration, and intense mood swings. Also be aware of possible changes in appetite or sleep patterns.

As I have listened to caregivers describe what happens to their loved ones after a time change, I considered the phrase “sundowning on steroids” might be appropriate.

Sundown syndrome, according to the Mayo Clinic, is described as “…a state of confusion at the end of the day and into the night.” The syndrome is not a sickness, but a group of symptoms that occur at a specific time – usually related to natural light changes in the evening (thus the name). The symptoms mentioned above are also the ones most associated with sundown syndrome. 

Since you have almost two weeks to prepare, I want to suggest some ideas that may help you and your recipient adjust.

Instead of waiting until Sunday, November 7, to deal with the change, begin preparing days earlier. Consider changing your regular schedule in ten- or fifteen-minute increments to wean yourself from DTS. Adjusting sleep, wake and mealtimes by only ten minutes will hardly be noticed; just make sure you go in the right direction – backwards. If this sounds confusing, write out a schedule for these activities. A six-day plan calls for a ten-minute adjustment on successive days while a four-day plan would move scheduled times back by fifteen minutes.

For me, the most difficult aspect is that the sun will now set so early: 5:16 p.m. on the first Sunday, creeping backwards each day until darkness will fall at 5:07 p.m. on December 21 (Winter Solstice). That means nature’s lights go out seven hours before my bedtime! Of course, if you are used to waking up at 7:00 a.m., you will be greeted with a rising sun each morning. 

One way to compensate is to provide additional artificial light inside, especially as the afternoon and evening darkness descend. It may also help to soak up some sunlight when it is available during the day, as exposure to sunlight has been proven to help regulate the body’s natural rhythm.

Although continuing your routine schedule after a time change is usually advised, if your care recipient is used to going to bed when it gets dark outside, the best choice may be to change the scheduled bedtime to better accommodate his or her needs. 

Spending additional quality time together may help alleviate confusion. Physical touch, including foot, back and hand massages are always comforting. Listen to soothing music; enjoy browsing through a photo album; read from your recipient’s favorite book.

Even healthy adults may take several days to adjust to the differences that are a result of the change back to standard time. Those with dementia or other health challenges may take longer, but with love and patience, any lingering problems can be addressed and overcome. 

We are entering one of the loveliest seasons of the year, with Thanksgiving and Christmas before us. Take care of yourself and your loved one…and enjoy every moment you have together.

Caring Quote:  He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also given people a sense of who He is. But they cannot completely understand what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11