As you know this week I have focused on the great Pittsburgh weather and my sleep deprivation. (Today was another gorgeous day too!) Despite my general good mood this week I have been struggling to get up in the mornings. With my focus on sleep deprivation, I had been thinking that it might be time to revisit how I spend my time at night.
It’s not noteworthy to think that more sleep might be a good idea. However, I’ve been perplexed about why I’ve been struggling this week. Indeed our entire family has been a bit off. The baby has been going to bed later, getting cranky earlier and then not going to sleep as soon after she’s put down. She’s also been waking up later. Andre, who is not generally a morning person anyway, has been struggling to wake up in the AM too.
Daylight Savings Time Disrupts Our Biological Clocks
We have been happy with the sunshine and warm weather, but our internal clocks seem to be a bit off.
Today, it dawned on me. This week IS different. We have been off since Sunday when the clocks “sprung ahead” and we lost an hour. As I have said many times, time is a precious commodity at my house. I am a full time lawyer, I am trying to grow my blog, launch a speaking career, keep track of my toddler, teach her to talk (and she’s resisting), stay in shape, and keep my relationship spicy—not necessarily in that order.
With all of those balls in the air I need more time not less. And I know that I am no different than any other working mom. Hell, the stay-at-home moms live and die by their schedules too. So, I don’t think that there is any mother out there who is excited to lose an hour. For some reason, perhaps because it’s the second winter being a mom and I realize that the demands (and joys) only increase, the adjustment to DST has been harder on me this year.
Daylight Savings Time Disupts Families
Based on my poll (VERY unscientific), others are struggling too. I know quite a few adults with grown children or no children who were late for church on Sunday and late for work. My sister took Monday off to transition to the time change and she doesn’t’ even have any kids. Based on her report, her friends are having a rough time too. Her mommy friends have told her that their kids have been have been having a rough time. These moms have listened to Heidi Murkoff and established a sleep schedule and supportive routine only to have Congress put a wrench in it. Now their kids are confused, cranky and have not been complying with their parent’s plans.
In my estimation, DST is wreaking havoc on America’s moms and their children, workers, church goers, and countless others. And I don’t see the upside. I know that there are historical reasons for the change, but let’s revisit them.
So, on the off chance that my Congressman, Mike Doyle, or my senator Bob Casey, are blog hopping, I make this plea, “Please make DST stop!”
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