The Time Change: A Reflection

Every year I look forward to the two time changes with dread.  My body does not deal with time change easily.  I'm a maximum jet lag kind of person, so it stands to reason the time change will bother me.

I've done a lot of thinking about this, and have come up with a few reasons why this is true for me.  

Here are my top three problems with time change:

1. Time change messes with my daily doctor prescribed medications, which makes me tired, irritable, and borderline physically sick.
2. Dogs do NOT understand time change.
3. My internal body clock is old and rusty and doesn't change easily anymore.

So now I have to ask myself, "What can I do to make the time change easier on this old body?" and I came up with a few things:

1. Walk the dogs until they are exhausted (if at all possible) for the first few days after the time change so they will be tired enough to sleep soundly with any luck at all, and may not wake me up an hour early each morning for weeks on end.  Hopefully....
2. Don't skip meals the first few days after the time change.
3. Rest as much as possible.
4. Accept that the medication time change will make my thinking a little fuzzy for a few days, and try to schedule major decisions for a couple of weeks AFTER the time change if at all  possible.
5. Drink extra water to stay hydrated so I'll have enough energy to make it through those first couple of days.  Hopefully....

The most important thing I've decided to do this year to help myself deal with time change is to FORGIVE MYSELF for:

1. Not being perfect.
2. Being grouchy.
3. Biting someone's head off for no real reason.
4. Not feeling like doing my work.
5. Not feeling up to being social.

Now I just need to remind myself that I will indeed adjust to the time change.  Yes.  It will be dark when I get off work every night.  Yes.  I will hate that.  Yes.  I will complain.  I will gripe.  I will threaten to move to Arizona or those parts of Indiana that have the good sense to not participate in Daylight Savings time.  Yes.  I will hope and hope and hope that they will one day wake up and STOP CHANGING THE TIME TWICE A YEAR!!!

Then, finally, I will adjust and accept it...about the time for the time to change again.  -sigh-

Don't forget to reset your clocks!!!  Today is the day.