DST & Your Dog

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I always feed the dog at 5:30 pm. When DST goes into effect, I still feed the dog at 5:30 but for the first few days he doesn’t seem hungry right away. What’s with his brain?”

 I’m chuckling because although I have had the privilege of having several dogs, I can't read their brains!   My guess is that animals and other creatures typically continue to follow the Sun time—and don’t keep checking with the Clock time (if they have even learned to notice where the “hands” are on the clock at any one time). The dog’s brain, at least for the first few days, may wonder how come you’re putting the food out earlier than usual (remember that 5:30 pm Sun time is now 6:30 pm Clock time. My dogs typically adjusted and then all of a sudden (to them), we’re back on Sun time. It’s really quite laughable if you have a good sense of humor and your brain has figured it out. For me, the "Spring forward" into DST is always like a mild case of Jet Lag. 

Standard vs DST

“Why are the evenings longer during DST?”

 Evenings are not longer during DST. You are simply living an illusion based on what the clock tells you. The sun still rises and sets on Sun time. However, humans are now living on Clock time, which permits an extra hour of sunshine “by the clock,” and creates the illusion of a longer evening. If you were burning a candle to see by in the evening, having an extra hour of sunshine would likely save burning a candle quite as long. In this era, you might be turning on the lights an hour later, which would save some electricity. If you are an early morning riser, however, you may be turning the electricity on an hour earlier so it may even out over the course of time. DST does not impact the length of your day. That changes gradually as the world turns on its axis and the seasons change during a course of a year. I start going to bed an hour earlier for several days before DST changes in the spring. That way my brain seems to accommodate better as it still gets the same number hours of sleep. More tomorrow.

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Sun Time & Clock Time

I do not understand what really happens when DST starts every spring. Can you help me know what is going on in the brain?

I explained this to my boys as “Sun time” & Clock time.” Think of Standard Time as Sun time. When Daylight Saving Time starts, the sun still sets at the same time it did during Standard Time—the difference is that in the spring the Clock time is put forward one hour. We say we lose an hour when ‘we spring forward.’ In the fall, we gain back that hour when we ‘fall back,’ and Clock time again matches Sun time. The brain’s circadian rhythm clock continues to follow the sun. Our life-style changes as we start following Clock time, but the brain wants to continue following Sun time. Depending on the brain, it can take several days for it to adjust to work, school, and other activities now following Clock time. My brain’s opinion is that it would be easier to always follow Sun time OR Clock time, so we didn’t have to feel disrupted as the brain tries to adjust to life running on Clock time for about six months.

Brain & DST

I read that the Senate just passed a bill to stop changing the time twice a year in the USA. I dread going through several days of mental upheaval twice a year—almost like a type of mild Jet Lag. I hope the House passes the bill, too. How did we get into this mess anyway?

 My understanding is that the USA adopted Daylight Saving Time (DST) in 1918 during the World War 1 (a year after Australia and Newfoundland Canada did in 1917). The idea was that it would save electricity and fuel to have more daylight at the end of the day instead of following the sun exactly. In 1920 the USA changed back to Standard time. Since then, there have been multiple changes with some parts of the country choosing not to follow the changes at all. I have no strong opinion about which is better—although I do appreciate an extra hour of sunlight so children have more play time after school, and it may be a bit safer to go out for a walk. I, too, dislike the twice-yearly changes. We’ll have to wait and see what the House decides. Write your congressman and express your views.

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Brain Breathing

 You do not have to imagine looking at a box to do beneficial Brain Breathing (a few brains have extreme difficulty attempting to picture something in their brain). I count and do Brain Breathing slightly differently from Box Breathing.

 1.     Inhale through your nose to a count of 4 – make sure your abdomen extends out, pushed down by your diaphragm

2.     Hold your breath to a count of 12 – this gives more time for the red blood cells to absorb oxygen from the air

3.     Exhale through pursed lips to a count of 8 – this helps to help empty the lungs and exercise those muscles

 I do this when I first get up in the morning and at any time during the day when I need to recharge my brain or let some accumulated stress go. 

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“Box Breathing”

Box breathing is similar to Brain breathing except that you imagine you are looking at a box.

1.      Starting at the bottom left corner, breathe in through your nose and expand your abdomen to a count of four as you reach the top left corner.

2.     Hold your breath to a count of four as you move to the top right corner.

3.     Exhale through pursed lips to a count of four as you move to the bottom right corner.

4.     Relax for a count of four as you reach the bottom left corner.

Repeat going around the box several times. Throughout the day, whenever you feel tense, repeat the process. 

Eustress & Hormetic Stress

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I’ve heard you talk about Eustress as positive stress. Now I hear about Hormetic Stress. What is that?

 Hormetic Stress is a type of healthy molecular stress as compared with Eustress that is a type of healthy social stress. According to geneticist David Sinclair, some of the most effective anti-aging efforts involve thoughtful lifestyle adjustments. He reportedly said, “We used to think that aging was just something that was in our genes, something that we couldn’t modify. But very rapidly…you can reverse many aspects of aging. It’s never too late, unless you’re on your last legs. And the fact that it’s that easy to slow down and reverse aspects of aging—just with lifestyle changes—totally fits with our understanding of molecular mechanisms.” For example, intermittent fasting, high-intensity interval training, alternating hot and cold-water temperatures during a shower, and “box breathing.” More about that tomorrow.

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