Tips to Put Some Spring in Your Step During Daylight Savings
It’s that time of year! It’s getting warmer, trees are greening up, and we can head outside for some fresh air. Right? Ugh, not so fast. The reality of Daylight Savings Time is waking up groggy in the dark, scrambling out of bed, guzzling down some coffee, and trying to maintain our composure in traffic on the harried drive into school where we will be rewarded for our efforts with late, sleepy, grumpy students.
Parents and teachers aren’t the only ones who struggle with lack of sleep the first week or two of daylight savings. Growing students need their sleep even more. It can make us all scratch our heads and wonder why we do it at all. (Those in Hawaii and parts of Arizona can skip this post and go back to bed for an extra hour of sleep!).
There are more accidents, heart attacks, and strokes in the week or two after daylight savings time. So go easy on yourself, and others.
Be Kind
Be kind to yourself and your students during the daylight savings shift. It takes a while for our bodies to get used to the new schedule. You might find yourself more easily irritated because you lost some much-needed shut-eye. Your students will feel the same way. Be prepared for late, grouchy students. Remember that this too shall pass.
A Teaching Opportunity
History
Create a lesson about why we have daylight savings time. Although it was first used in Thunder Bay, Canada in 1908 to enjoy more sunlight hours during the day, it didn’t take off until Germany and Austria started to use it in 1916 to save energy during WWI. You could let the students debate the pros and cons of still using DST.
Sleeping Habits
Encourage your students to get enough sleep. In the week leading up to DST, remind them to go to bed a few minutes earlier every night in order to shift their circadian rhythms gradually. Explain how exposure to blue light from technology too close to bedtime hinders their ability to fall asleep. Talk about how important sleep is for our health and remind them that bed-time routines are important for people of all ages to set the stage for a good night. And don’t forget to follow your own advice!
Enjoy Some Extra Sunlight
Especially if you live in a colder climate, you are used to going home during the winter after a long day at school and getting cozy in the dark. DST gives us time to decompress outside before we hang it up for the night. Enjoy an after dinner walk or just relax on your porch. The extra daylight in the evening keeps us alert a bit longer. Use that extra time at the end of the day to prepare for your morning routine. Hopefully, it’ll just take a few days for you and your students to get back on track and get busy enjoying Spring!
Remedia’s Suggested Time and Health Resources
