I’ve had trouble with the jump to daylight savings this Spring. In fact, I often have trouble with Daylight Savings because we lose the sunlight in the morning. I rarely ever use an alarm clock, and I find that my waking schedule generally ends up following the sunrise.
By the time that the Vernal Equinox (and daylight savings) approaches, I have really began to notice the lengthening days and the earlier and earlier sunrises make it more natural to wake up earlier. The extra time in the morning helps me to me more cheerful and patient since I’m rushing less to get myself ready and therefore better able to help the boys get ready for school before we leave to drop them off.
Since after the Winter Solstice, here in Wisconsin, the sun rises 1-2 minutes earlier every day, moving sunrise forward an hour means that from March 10 sunrise time , we are transported all the way back to January 28 sunrise time. The end of January is a difficult time with the lack of sunlight, the difference is all the more abrupt.
However, while the gain in daylight in January and February is slow and imperceptible, except in our cumulative notice week by week, daylight savings can redraw our attention to this cycle of nature, although this time with warmer weather and longer days already. Here just in advance of the Vernal Equinox, daylight savings can serve as an abrupt reminder to notice and appreciate those small natural changes.
While the earlier mornings were welcome in January and February, it is this second pass of earlier sunrises that brings with it the Spring and the true reprieve from Winter.