Daylight and Sleep and Daylight Savings
Those of us awake were blessed, and maybe others lying in bed disturbed by the earlier sunrises before daylight saving time kicks in this Sunday.
But with the clocks going forward and the easing of some COVID restrictions, which prompted dawn exercisers, it’s maybe time to ask are we 50 Ups larks or owls?
It may be anecdotal through hearing tales of grandma waking up at 3 am, or the full-of-beans elders calling into 5 am talkback radio. Still, I’ve often wondered if age is related to being a ‘lark,’ i.e. an early riser.
The question arises as we prepare to mark in Sydney at least a final 5.31 am sunrise on Saturdays I have gloried in a few weeks of bonus daylight when many are still in the land of nod.
The US statesman Benjamin Franklin came up with the whole idea after being awoken by church bells and bright sunlight in Paris in 1784. He thought it a waste of light and suggested the seasonal shifting of the clocks.
Daylight savings will mean Sydney has a 630 am sunrise and, of course, an extra hour’s light in the evening. I, for one, prefer the quiet charm and solitude of the chill dawn but relish the after-work delights of what the Brazilian’s call the ‘summer schedule.’
The USA’s National Institute on Ageing notes in a story on getting a good night’s sleep: “Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults—7 to 9 hours each night. But, older people tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than they did when they were younger.”
Some of this has to do with us not getting the same quality of sleep as we age, and there’s no end of advice online and perhaps from other 50 Up members on what you can do.
In my case, especially with the lockdowns, getting up early (usually 430-445am most mornings ) may have something to do with going to bed much earlier due to the fewer legal excuses to go out at night.
I was stupidly shocked that our son was still in bed at college in Melbourne when the 915 am earthquake awoke him. But he is a student with better reasons to stay up, and I was undoubtedly an owl at his age.
What do you find? Have you found yourself hitting the sack and getting up earlier or late, or are you regular as clockwork? And for the early birds, what is it about those hours which make it so unique?
PS You don’t need to be reminded, but the clocks go forward an hour at 2 am on Sunday for most states. The two which do not play ball, funnily enough on many COVID policies too, are of course WA and Qld. Is this a coincidence?
Any information contained in this communication is general advice, it does not take into account your individual circumstances, objectives, financial situation or needs.
