For the first time, the new federal energy legislation that mandated daylight savings time into November last fall, is also about to enter our lives and those of our children and students this March 9th.

After a winter of record-breaking snowfall in many parts of the country, and devastating weather in other locations, more light may seem like a relief to many of us. But human biology researchers are increasingly interested in the physical and mental health issues that are arising from our increased tinkering with time. While we mechanically make this adjustment by “springing forward” one hour, researchers believe it takes our internal circadian clocks a month or more to make the seasonal adjustment to new light and rhythms, especially in climates where people are making the adjustment from winter into spring.

In Standard Time we do this gradually, according to the rhythms of the season. In suddenly “springing forward,” some of us, especially our children, experience a much harder time adjusting. Sleep and waking, getting to bed patterns, easily are disrupted. Other routines, such as school schedules and homework can become harder to follow.

I advise teachers to review and be patient with time in the week following the change. Principals and school secretaries might want to remind parents of the change the week before and suggest parents try a 15 minute, progressively earlier bedtime each night beginning Thursday, March 6th. Then, when the clocks “spring forward” Sunday night, the change won’t seem so abrupt Monday morning!