The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

BST -> GMT

The clocks went back an hour during the wee hours of Sunday morning, releasing us from the promise of the long golden evenings of British Summer Time and plunging us into the dark, cold, wintry Greenwich Meantime. This, I’ve been told since I was old enough to stand up straight and look my mother squarely in the kneecap, entitles me to an extra hour’s sleep. Of course what no one mentions is that this conferring of an additional sixty minutes of slumber comes with several conditions attached. At the very least it requires that:

a) you remember to put all the clocks in the house back just before you go to bed and don’t lie awake reading for an hour longer because every time you glance up it seems a bit too early to put the light out

b) your own body clock remembering that you are permitted this extra hour’s doze

c) your children’s body clocks understanding that they are supposed to stay in bed for a further hour and not wake you up early anyway

Yet despite all evidence to the contrary that there is, in fact, any truth in the myth of a further 3,600 seconds of precious sleep during the only 25-hour day of the year, we still tell our children that this valuable commodity will be bestowed upon them.

Unfortunately it is said out of desperation rather than real belief on our part.

7 comments

BStrong said...

I actually lost two hours of sleep. I set the clocks in the house back at 10pm Saturday night so I wouldn't forget. I then decided to take my extra hour saturday night to catch up on the tv shows I recorded this past week. I went to bed around 1am which was really to 2am. The kids woke up at 5:45 thinking it was 6:45.

Damn you daylight savings, damn you to hell

Anonymous said...

I note that applications are being taken for the new voice of the speaking clock. I remember it being a women. I understand that a man has been doing it for 22 years now. That would be one boring job.In the right hands that could be dangerous. At the third annoying peep it will be seven fifty eight and ten f'n seconds.

Anonymous said...

I had a very productive day, owing to the fact that I was up before 6am.

I prefer change this to losing an hour at the end of March.

kats said...

It takes me about 2 weeks to stop waking up at the old time. Doesn't happen when they go forward though.

I wish they (whoever "they" are) would just leave it all alone.

Kim Ayres said...

BStrong - For an intelligent man who runs his own business...

Colin - welcome to my ramblings!

You've got to wonder how they cope when he has a tea break too....

Kav - Productive days because you're up early are a thing of the past for me. I was awake at 4.30 this morning and all it means is that I'll be a zombie for the rest of the day

Kats - it's a sign of getting older - jet lag when the clocks change.

Attila the Mom said...

arrgghh. My body clock is all messed up. I usually wake up around 4:30am, and now I'm waking up in the middle of the night!

Kim Ayres said...

You mean you don't count 4.30am as the middle of the night???

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