Time Difference

With the start of Daylight Saving Time (DST), the shape of the day changes abruptly. Setting the clock forward flips our schedules upside down, and I feel a specific sense of confusion during that first week—a mild state of "I’m awake, but I don’t quite understand where I am." By the time I get used to it, I discover that I’ve started "setting the clock back" again, but in my own way: I stay up a "little bit" longer, and upon waking, I remain in a state of lethargy, wanting just five more minutes that stretch into an hour or more, starting my day late.

I need several days to adjust my time. During this period, I feel a sense of being lost; I cannot focus on time as everything shifts—prayer times, shop closing hours, and flight and train schedules.

Every year, people ask: Why do we change the clock? Yes, we know the standard answer: to save energy. We know European countries also advance and delay their clocks. However, the more important question is: How much energy do we actually save? We understand that an extra hour of daylight means less electricity usage during peak times. Having natural light for a longer period helps in getting work done while the sun is still shining, easing the pressure on the power grid.

But we have recently made decisions whose results we want to know—such as closing shops at 9:00 PM and then extending it to 11:00 PM. We want figures. What was the result of the first step, and then the extension to 11:00 PM? We want figures and outcomes. Will this continue throughout the summer? Energy conservation needs tangible answers.

Changing the time is also linked to the organization of the day. When the daytime grows longer, work and closing schedules get muddled, and a bit of chaos prevails in our appointments until we get accustomed to it.

Ultimately, the human aspect remains the most important. The biological clock does not change quickly, and the body needs time to adapt. This temporary feeling of exhaustion is normal and disappears later. Yet, just as we begin to get used to advancing the clock, we find that time has flown, winter has begun, and we must set it back to start the state of confusion all over again.

Hence, changing the clock is a recurring experience. It has its pros and cons; it brings confusion and disorder, but it also offers some benefits. It is not just a matter of time, but a matter of how we use that time. Wishing you all the best with every clock change.