How to Adjust to Daylight-Saving Time

Even though daylight-saving time is only a one-hour time adjustment, it wreaks havoc for thousands of us who have trouble embracing change. Follow these simple steps, and this time around you might get to work on time.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Change clocks on Saturday afternoon instead of Sunday. Reset all clocks in the house, including your wristwatch, microwave, computer if necessary, and especially your alarm clock. Reset the clock in your car as well.

2. Avoid looking at the clock and thinking that it's really an hour later or earlier. Act as if this is the new time. Plan your day accordingly.

3. Change the clocks in the evening before you go to bed if resetting them in the afternoon is not an option. The object is to get used to the new time as soon as possible.

4. Get up at your normal time on Sunday. Set the alarm. Avoid sleeping an hour later or getting up an hour earlier.

5. Stay awake all day even if you are sleepy. Avoid taking a nap.

6. Go to bed at your normal bedtime on Sunday night. Drink a glass of milk, take a hot bath or drink a cup of chamomile tea to induce sleep if you're not tired yet.

7. Rise at your regular time on Monday. By now you should be well-adjusted to the new time.

Tips & Warnings

• Daylight-saving time begins the second Sunday in March, when clocks are set ahead an hour from 2:00 a.m. local standard time to 3:00 a.m. local daylight time, and ends on the first Sunday in November, when clocks are set back an hour at 2:00 a.m. local daylight time to 1:00 a.m. local standard time.
• Daylight-saving Time, for the U.S. and its territories, is not observed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Eastern Time Zone portion of the State of Indiana, and by most of Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona).
• Puerto Rico recently decided to join most of the rest of the nation in observing DST when the Governor of Puerto Rico signed into law a bill that establishes DST in Puerto Rico effective January 1, 2001. Hence, Puerto Rico will be one hour ahead of the East Coast year-round.
• The sooner you start thinking in terms of the new time, the sooner you will adjust. As soon as you reset the clock, immediately move yourself into that time.
• Many computers automatically alert you to daylight-saving time changes. For instructions on doing it yourself, view "How to Change the Time on Your Computer's Clock." (See Related eHow.)

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[AnneZ]

on 3/8/2009 It still feels like I'm getting up an hour earlier. Thanks for the tips.

[sametta]

on 3/8/2009 thanks. nice job

[presnick]

on 3/8/2009 Good tips! Benjamin Franklin should have known when to keep his mouth shut. This is like jet lag without a vacation.

[vikki9]

on 3/8/2009 We love springing forward and the resulting longer daylight. Thank you.

[ktree]

on 3/8/2009 good tips. these time changes kill me for some reason.