On the positive side, I love spring flowers, warmer weather, and the freedom to ditch wearing a coat. Over on the negative side, I dislike pollen so thick you can write your name in it, the mad rush to get my taxes done on time, and the life-destroying start of daylight saving time.
If you have bipolar disorder, your brain rebels against change.
It’s the reason routine is so important to maintaining your balance. The more things you keep consistent, the more stable you will be.
Yet, for some foolish reason, much of the world still honors Daylight Saving Time. Both the start and the end can have a devastating effect on bipolar disorder.
What can you do to minimize the blow? Here are three things that help me.
Think Ahead
The first thing to do to help with the struggles brought on by Daylight Saving Time is to think ahead.
For me, that means scheduling less activity in the weeks before and after a time change. I’m a tax preparer, so that’s nearly impossible in the spring, but I still try. It’s essential for me to spend more time at home to rest and relax.
Why one hour creates so much trouble, I can’t say.
Something about the shift throws my entire sleep pattern into chaos.
It’s not just me and not just bipolar. In fact, statistics show a six percent increase in fatal car accidents in the week following a time change. Obviously, when God created us, time changes were not part of the plan.
The jolt can be too much for our poor minds.
If you reflect on how previous time changes affected you, plan accordingly. Think about how things went last time. Reflect on what helped and what made things worse. If your memory is anything like mine, this is a great thing to write in your journal.
If I don’t write it down, I won’t remember it tomorrow let alone in six months from now.
Adjust Gradually
A one hour shift hitting all at once carries quite a wallop.
Knowing that, try to change in five-minute increments. Start getting up and going to bed five minutes earlier (or later, depending on the season.) Add another five minutes every couple of days until the change takes effect.
When the time change hits, you’ll be pretty close to where you need to be.
Adjusting to a five-minute shift every few days is much less traumatic than an hour all at once. Of course, this requires some planning. If you’re wanting to only shift five minutes every three days, you need to start a month before the time change.
Stick to your routines
The most important step you can take to lessen the impact of Daylight Saving Time is to stick to your other routines.
Continue to take your medications at the same time every day. Get out of bed every morning at the right time. Allowing yourself to linger in bed will only aggravate things.
Keep going to work or school and stay active with your daily habits. The more consistency you can keep in your life, the less disruptive the time change will be.
While there was a lot of hoopla last year about the permanent end of Daylight Saving Time in the United States, the ill-fated Sunshine Protection Act appears to be stalled. For the time being, this twice a year knock to the head will continue.
If we have to deal with it, remember that the bipolar brain is resistant to change.
Sudden change, like the change in time, can feel like running into a wall. If you think ahead, adjust in small increments, and stick to your routines, you can lessen the impact.
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