Food for Thought – Daylight Savings Time

November 10, 2023

“Spring forward, fall back”, time has just changed to give us back the hour we lost in the spring. Do we really get our hour back? Can time change affect our health and sleep?

In 1916 Germany adopted Daylight Savings Time (DST) to save energy during World War I. Other countries soon followed to extend energy. All states in America follow the DST time change except Arizona and Hawaii.

There are concerns by many people as to the impact this has on our health and safety. Research by David Trilling shows negative impact on health, which is causing controversy. “Researchers have shown increases in car accidents and heart attacks— the latter by as much as 24 percent. Those phenomena may decrease for a few days after the fall switch, when we are given that extra hour of sleep. Another study reports a mild health boost in the fall, though a 2016 study in Epidemiology found increased depressive episodes in the autumn, when the change means we are suddenly leaving work in the dark”.

People with small children report higher levels of unhappiness during the spring transition from loss of sleep. Without DST, there is a concern of parents for the safety of children leaving for school in the dark.

Benjamin Franklin is said to have invented DST, however, he did not. He did suggest changing sleep schedules by setting clocks one hour early to save money on candles and lamp oil. There is much debate as to whether we should do away with DST. Personally, I would like for the time to just stay either way and not change! For more information on DST check out journalistsresource.org.

Pumpkin Pie

1 – 8 oz package cream cheese

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 – 9 inch unbaked pastry shell – deep dish

1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin

1 cup evaporated milk

½ cup sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Dash of salt

You can use pumpkin spice mix instead of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt

Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Blend in egg. Spread onto bottom of pastry shell. Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Carefully pour over cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Let cool. Brush with maple syrup and garnish with pecan halves. Submitted by Faye Reece, Carthage FCE Club