Lose or Gain Sleep? Daylight Savings Time Decoded!

Do you ever get confused about which direction to set the clock when Daylight Savings Time begins or ends? Even if you know which directly to turn your clock, there is still sometimes confusion (at least in my family) over whether you're gaining or losing that hour of sleep.

Here's 2 simple phrases to help you get it right:

"Spring Forward in the Spring" - set your watch forward & spring out of bed early. What was 8:00am is now 9:00am. You've officially lost 1 hour of sleep. But, it's going to stay light outside later so you're gaining time spent outdoors.

"Fall Back in the Fall" - set your clock backward & fall back to sleep. What was 8:00am is now only 7:00am so hit the snooze and take advantage of the extra hour!

Does anyone else get confused about which clocks they've re-set and which they haven't?

Or have you ever had a spouse change a clock not realizing you'd already updated it?

No matter hard much you try to avoid it, the first 24 hours are going to involve some confusion. That's why I love automatic night lights - 1 less thing to adjust and they just pop right on when it gets dark.

Of course, none of this matters if you don't know when Daylight Savings begins and ends! One year (before cell phones) I was traveling and missed the memo and was waiting in line to get a slice of pizza at the Dallas Airport when suddenly I heard my name over the intercom. My flight was fully boarded and about to leave without me!

2017 Daylight Savings Dates:

Begins: Sunday, March 12, 2017 (Spring Forward!)

Ends: Sunday, November 5, 2017 (Fall Back!)