by Shawn Kirby L.Ac.

Here’s a little philosophy for you:

You wouldn’t, provided that you were a sensible person, drive your car straight into a brick wall. The brick wall would bring your car to a crashing halt without much trouble. If you are a relatively law-abiding citizen like me however, you’ve probably sat at a red light at 2:00am at a deserted intersection in the middle of nowhere grumbling under your breath. A light bulb ensconced in metal frame with a red glass screen covering it hanging twenty feet off the ground has absolutely no power whatsoever to stop your car. If you weren’t hip to the social reality tunnel that created the idea that this symbol meant “stop your car,” you wouldn’t pay any more attention to it than you would to a roadside sign advertising cheap beer. That red light is nothing more than a mental projection, and while it may be a useful mental projection to adopt (running red lights is hazardous to your health from what I understand) it always behooves us to remember – mental projections are not real. And there is no more onerous, ridiculous or asinine mental projection in the history of mankind than Daylight Savings Time.

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The original idea for Daylight Savings Time came from a New Zealand entomologist (bug-collector) by the name of George Vernon. Vernon came up with the idea when he realized that knocking off of work early would provide him with more daylight hours to wander around and play with bugs. This idea was then picked up by another genius, William Willett, whose motivation was frustration with his after hours golf game being cut short at dusk. Willett lobbied for his proposal unsuccessfully many years. It wasn’t until World War I when first the axis powers, and then the allies, adopted Daylight Savings Time as a way to conserve coal usage while Europe did its best to commit genocide.

Energy conservation has continued to be touted as the one of the many “reasons” for DST to remain in effect, yet energy consumption has changed just a wee bit since the days of the coke stove and the steam engine, and most modern studies show little to no benefit. In point of fact, some studies show that DST increases motor fuel consumption. The main reason DST has remained in effect is (big shock) is commercial. The two major backers of legislation to keep DST in effect the last time it went to a vote were Clorox (parent company to Kingsford Charcoal) and 7-Eleven; ostensibly to allow the backyard barbeque set more opportunity to grill themselves toward an early coronary and the children of America more chances to go out and purchase a Slurpie the size of their torso. During this same vote, the two senators from the great state of Idaho voted in favor of DST citing studies that DST encouraged fast-food consumption (think "Idaho potatoes").

What are the health repercussions to ourselves and our patients from this lovely tradition? The circadian rhythm that governs many of our bodies’ functions is directly influenced by sunlight. The common experience of Jet-Lag, including fatigue, disorientation and insomnia (all of which are extremely beneficial to the morning commute), is identical in nature. And the backlash of the “Spring Forward” can last for weeks in some people. The importance of maintaining a healthy and normal circadian rhythm that is free of unnecessary disruption is so important that studies have shown direct links to the disruption of this cycle with cardiovascular disease and cancer. There have also been links to the disruption of the circadian rhythm and the exacerbation of sleep disorders and bi-polar disorder. Suicides in men and heart attacks were both found to significantly spike with the “Spring Forward.”

So what can we do about this offense to our health and well being? Some doctors suggest resisting the urge to enjoy the extra hour of daylight in the evening for the first few weeks until your body starts to get used to the idea. You should also expose yourself to as much early morning sunlight as possible. Other than that, recognize that your body has been dealt a blow and take it easy on yourself. Avoid pushing yourself too hard, maintain a regular sleep schedule and supplement your post-heaven qi with foods and herbs (according to you or your patient’s presenting pattern) that supplement the spleen and fortify the qi.

NOTES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_savings_time#cite_note-Lahti-9

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm#Disruption

http://www.webmd.com/video/daylight-savings-time-sleep?ecd=wnl_day_031310