Time to Roll Back

SUNDAY, NOV. 3^rd, 2:00AM

FALL BACK

Jump up and turn back the time, turn back clocks, watches, thermostats, microwaves, TV’s, computers, and even the clock in your car. This means that we gain (not lose) an hour when we turn our clocks back an hour.

Don’t rely on your smartphone’s alarm clock to wake you up in case there’s a software glitch. On Saturday night, turn back the time by one hour and then set the alarm on an old-fashioned alarm clock or clock radio near your bed. If you are scheduled for a flight, international conference call or another event involving multiple time zones on Sunday, avoid confusion by confirming the time of your plans a day or two in advance.

Take advantage of the chance to grab an extra hour of sleep. Reduce your sleep deficit by using the hour gained from the time change to enjoy an extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning. Block out morning sun in your bedroom because sunlight is an alerting stimulus. You can stay in bed an hour longer, but you can’t delay the sunrise.

Be mindful of pedestrians facing increased hazards. It’s prudent to be extra careful when walking and driving in darkness. Studies show that after the fall daylight saving time switch, pedestrians walking during evening rush hour are nearly three times more likely to be struck and killed by cars than before the time change.