OPINION-EDITORIAL

Rise and shine! Or not

WAKING UP is hard to do. Especially since 2 a.m. Sunday, the start of daylight saving time when clocks sprung forward, costing us an hour of sleep and dictating that darkness stick around an hour longer in the mornings. Everybody seems to be groggy.

How can a mere 60 minutes cause such distress? It's because when springing forward, our bodies need to adjust to going to sleep earlier (even though our bodies haven't figured that out yet), which leaves us restless at night and snoozy the next day.

The time-change transition is thought to affect motor skills, which can result in more workplace injuries, car crashes, and metabolic, physiologic, and behavioral changes such as changes in appetite, an increase in food cravings, and overeating, according to CBS News. Great, just when we need to shape up for shorts-and-swimsuits weather.

Want to put up a fight? Try these tips from Dr. Teshamae Monteith, an assistant professor of clinical neurology and director of the headache program at the University of Miami:

--Seeing light (preferably sunlight) upon waking can help reset internal clocks, so eat breakfast in front of a window or take a early walk.

--Just say no to lattes and other stimulants after lunch.

--Skip those naps, which can decrease the ability to sleep at night.

--Don't drive if attention spans seem to be lacking.

It'll get better in a few days. Really.

Florida's lawmakers are moving toward making their state the first in the country to adopt year-round daylight saving time so that it's darker in the mornings (when tourists are asleep) and lighter in the evenings (so golf courses and beach outings can keep on rolling).

That means that once the Sunshine State springs forward, it won't fall back in early November. The change needs congressional approval, though, so don't expect it to happen anytime soon. After all, time is relative.

Editorial on 03/13/2018

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