Monday Musings

  On Sunday, November 3, 2024 (the first Sunday in November), at 2:00 AM, clocks were turned backward one hour to 1:00 AM. This was officially the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the US, time to “Fall Back.” Humans may or may not appreciate the change in time. My dogs, however, think I am the worst person on earth for “delaying” dinner time. I am convinced they have an internal alarm clock. One pup is whining at my side while I write this blog post. DST was first observed in 1918 to conserve energy during WWI and WWII, to permit more cost-effective war-time production, and to mitigate blackouts. In fact, at times, it was called “War Time.” From 1945 to 1966, there were no uniform DST rules, which was chaotic for broadcasting and transport. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 aligned switch dates across the US. There were two periods after the 1973 Oil Embargo when the DST period was extended to try to save energy: ten months in 1974 and eight months in 1975. Over the next 11 years, t...

Do you feel drowsy today? You’re sleep-deprived and tired because you “lost” an hour of sleep early Sunday, as we “sprung ahead” into Daylight Saving Time. William Anthony, Ph.D., a Boston University professor, and his wife Camille, created this pseudo “napping holiday” in 1999 to emphasize the importance of adequate sleep. Some cultures regularly take a restorative nap midday, for example, the Spanish and their siesta . Long ago, the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Arabia also partook in a napping habit. How long is the optimal nap? In our hectic modern lives, we rarely enjoy the luxury of a nap. Treat yourself today! Although I am giving advice not personally taken, as I spent the day tidying the gardens for spring planting.  PS. I must have been napping last Monday because I didn’t realize until Tuesday AM that I neglected to write my weekly blog. But here I am again, back in the writing saddle. LOL. You can follow the Author at her  Website  or on  Twitter .