Daylight saving time: How to prepare your body for it and could it become permanent in Illinois?

This Sunday, March 13, 2022, at 2 AM, we move the clocks forward one hour.

Photo by John Fornander on Unsplash

(CHICAGO) It's once again time to spring forward. Like it or hate it, daylight saving time (DST) returns this weekend in Illinois. DST starts every year on the second Sunday in March and will return to standard time on the first Sunday in November.

Even if you enjoy having that extra sunshine at the end of the day, you may be tired until you adjust to the change.

A survey conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) found that over half (55%) of respondents reported feeling "extremely or somewhat tired" after the spring forward. And a YouGov survey found that 66% of Americans would be happy to get rid of the twice-yearly changing of the clocks. 21% were not sure, and only 16% favored keeping the time changes.

How much sunlight will Chicago get?

After the time change, in Chicago, the sunset will move ahead from a little before 6 PM to just before 7 PM. Chicago sunrise will come later, to shortly after 7 AM after the time change.

Multiple bills have been introduced in Illinois to end the time change

The Peoria Journal-Star reported that seven bills were filed by members of both parties in the Illinois House last year in an attempt to keep Illinois on one time all year.

However, none of the bills were passed into law.

The argument for eliminating daylight saving

The AASM supports switching the US to a permanent standard time. In a statement, they voiced their support to eliminate daylight saving time.

“Permanent, year-round standard time is the best choice to most closely match our circadian sleep-wake cycle,” Dr. M. Adeel Rishi of the Mayo Clinic in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and vice-chair of the AASM Public Safety Committee. “Daylight saving time results in more darkness in the morning and more light in the evening, disrupting the body’s natural rhythm.”

How to prepare your body for the time change

Since efforts to either eliminate daylight saving time or keep it permanent in Illinois have currently stalled, your best bet is to follow advice from the experts to reduce harm to your health.

Here are a few suggestions from the Sleep Foundation you can take to help your body adjust to the time change:

• Go to bed about 15 to 20 minutes earlier in the week before the change to start gradually adjusting to the new time.
• Get quality sleep before this weekend to build up your "sleep bank."
• Set your clocks forward on Saturday night to help you quickly adjust your mindset to the new time. (Although most cell phones and devices will do this for you.)
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Take a 30-minute nap if you feel you need one.
• Practice good sleep hygiene.
• Get early morning sun exposure to help your body's internal clock.

For a full list of practical steps, you can visit the Sleep Foundation here.

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