In Europe, we know a Summertime and Wintertime. Twice a year the clock according if its summer or winter the clock will be set an hour forwards or backwards. In the Summer every last weekend of March the clock will go an hour forward. Meaning at 02.00 am the clock will be set forward to 03.00 am. People will sleep that night an hour less.
Always bad news for the people who love to sleep.
In the Winter every last weekend of October the clock will go an hour backwards. Meaning at 03.00 am the clock will be set backwards to 02.00 am. People will sleep that night an hour more.
Always great news for the people who love to sleep. I know people who look forward to this day.
That means, that everyone in Europe gets to sleep tonight 1 hour more.
Why the clock back an hour?
The main reason was, at the end of March setting the clock an hour forward, to save energy.
It is since 1977 onwards we use summer time and winter time in the Netherlands, this happened at intervals before between 1916 and 1945. The European Commission has decided that in the future each member state may decide for itself whether to use summer time or to use winter time as well. But no final decision has been made yet for the Netherlands. Although research shows that Wintertime is better for the biological clock of the human.
Does it affect our health?
Research shows that Wintertime is better for our biological clock to get more hours of daylight. But there are people who are more energized during Summertime, and people who are more energized during Wintertime. There are many people whose biological clock can get disrupted.
For me, I definitely get disrupted when Wintertime starts.
But also think of the whole day schedule
- Taking medicines or injections
- Feeding time for children or sick people (I know I always was calculating all the feeding times in my caretaking period for my mother, also the same with the medicines. I figured out the best solution was to upgrade the feeding and drinking. Instead of only following the clock, I must say that worked pretty well).
Wintertime and also the change of the season from Autumn to Winter
These two together for sure has an effect on our body and mind. There is a need to take good care of your body, keeping it warm not to catch colds, also more drinking, which in Summertime is easier.
For the mind, I noticed in Wintertime my mind needs more rest.
We all know November and December always are busy months, with all the charming holidays. And January and February, very cold!
Extra taking care of ourselves and keeping the balance of body and mind, is needed. So, I am all set for tonight, when the clock goes one hour backwards at 03.00 am. An extra hour to sleep, yes! And hoping my Wintertime gets a good start.
When your biological clock gets disrupted
There are people whose biological clock gets major disrupted. The best thing to do is take a couple of days to adjust your body to the new timetable, one day at a time. Like tomorrow you will be extra conscious with that extra hour. It is okay to follow the “old” clock, especially with meals and going to bed. Follow the signs of your body, go to bed when the sleep sets in, and it will according to “the old time”. So don’t wait up because of that extra hour. Slowly in a couple of days, your body will adjust. Your biological clock will take some time, but eventually, it will get used to it. This disrupting usually happens to people who are more energized during the Summertime clock.
So, I am all set for tonight, when the clock goes one hour backwards at 03.00 am.
An extra hour to sleep, yes! And hoping my Wintertime gets a good start.
Goodnight dear Friends!
