For me, Daylight Savings Time (aka the best time of the year) is full of warmth, health, and happiness, unlike the dreaded winter months. Its long, sunny days make it a season that deserves to last the entire year.
I love sledding and making snow angels, as much as the next person. The holiday cheer that comes with December can occasionally be fun, but winter is definitely not my favorite time of year. Shivering and feeling my hands go numb on the walk between classes, having to bundle up in a big winter coat every day, and driving home in the dark despite it not even being 5pm make these winter months some of the worst for me.
The cold, combined with only a few hours of daylight, diminishes my motivation and makes me dread going to class. The thought of leaving the warmth of my bed to go out into the cold, dreary weather, for a full day of studying, can seem harrowing at times. Knowing that the skies will be gray during the day and that the sun will have set by the time I pack up for the afternoon, makes me feel a bit lost and, well, sad.
But then that beautiful day in March occurs, and daylight saving time begins.
Sure, moving the clocks forward an hour on March 10th will make us lose an hour of sleep. This in turn could affect our circadian rhythms in a negative way, which might not be exactly ideal. For the most part, though, that day will be one of my favorites, as it will bring about a whole extra hour of sunlight—in other words, an extra hour of joy.
This added hour of sunlight holds so much potential. The change in time means that when I leave class and head home, it won’t feel like it’s nighttime already. Instead, when I reach my house, there will still be an hour to go before the pinks and purples of the sunset even begin to make their appearance. I’ll want to enjoy the sun for as long as I can, so I’ll suddenly have extra motivation to complete my homework and make time for the outdoors.
As the days get warmer, I’ll be more inclined to spend that extra hour of daylight outside. I will spend time going on walks, riding my bike, heading out for a run, or sitting out back with a book before the sun sets. The possibilities that this season brings are endless.
The health benefits that daylight saving time brings are seemingly endless, too, and I personally enjoy the mental health ones that this season brings. The dark and cold months that make up winter can make depression worse for some people whereas spring’s extra warmth and sunlight make my own mental health so much better.
Being exposed to sunlight results in serotonin being released, which can improve my mood and make me generally feel more focused and less stressed. This exposure can also lead to an increase in the production of Vitamin D, which can help with strengthening bones and preventing dangerous health conditions.
In order to get this exposure to the sun, though, we need that extra hour of sunlight, and personally, I wish that daylight saving time lasted the entire year. That single additional hour of sunlight makes a major difference in my life, and I can only imagine the amount of good that it does for others.
This extra hour that the sun is up pushes me to get some fresh air after a long day and allows me to feel a bit of warmth during these difficult winter months. The beginning of daylight saving time is a beacon of hope, as it reminds me that spring and long, warm days are finally right around the corner.