Expired News - Don't forget: A time change is coming - The Weather Network
Your weather when it really mattersTM

Country

Please choose your default site

Americas

Asia - Pacific

Europe

News
On November 1, 2015, Daylight Saving Time comes to an end and Canadians will turn their clocks back an hour. That's still a few days away, but experts say now is a good time to start adjusting your schedule.

Don't forget: A time change is coming


Cheryl Santa Maria
Digital Reporter

Tuesday, October 27, 2015, 2:53 PM - With the exception of people living in Saskatchewan, Daylight Saving Time comes to an end on Sunday November 1, 2015, and Canadians will turn their clocks back an hour. That's still a few days away, but experts say now is a good time to start adjusting your schedule.

Plan ahead to avoid feeling disoriented

On Sunday, November 1, Canadians will be turning their clocks back and hour, meaning they will be gaining 60 minutes on that day.

While earning an hour may sound like a good way to catch up on some sleep, the extra time can have a negative impact on your sleeping patterns.


RELATED: The fall season can hit your body hard


Doctors say it's best to stay active during the day and relax for a few hours before what would normally be your bedtime. Drinking a lot of water also helps the body adjust.

This is especially important for children.

The sooner you can start adjusting your schedule, the better.

Do some house-keeping

Experts say the end of Daylight Saving Time is a good opportunity to do some inventory.

Homeowners are reminded to:

  • Install one smoke alarm per floor and outside sleeping areas
  • Never remove a smoke alarm from the ceiling due to a nuisance alarm
  • Install fresh batteries in all smoke and CO alarms at least annually
  • Replace smoke alarms older than 10 years old
  • Practice a home fire escape plan with the family

Since the late 1960s, Saskatchewan has not observed Daylight Time and remains on Standard Time year-round.

Even animals need to adjust

In the southern hemisphere, Daylight Saving Time runs on a different schedule, starting in October and ending in April.

Residents in Melbourne, Australia turned their clocks forward an hour on October 4, and caretakers at the Melbourne Zoo say the practice is always an adjustment for the primates that live there.


 FALL OUTLOOK: See what the next three months have in store


That's no surprise, given they are human's closest relatives.

Humans have been known to react negatively to Daylight Saving Time as well. The next time Canadians will turn their clocks ahead, 'losing' an hour, will be on March 13, 2016.

Some studies suggest there is an increase in traffic accidents on the Monday following a time change. Experts blame it on a lack of sleep.

Senior primate keeper Damian Lewis told The Age, an Australian publication, that primates tend to be a bit "touchy" following the transition to daylight saving, largely because they are creatures of habit.

"Their day-to-day lives are based around daylight hours [in the wild], so they might wake up a bit earlier and they might go to bed a bit later," he says. "But here, they're based around routines, and that can actually throw them out a bit initially ... their routine has changed because it's us going by the clock."

According to Lewis, gorillas and orangutans tend to be the most sensitive to the change.

Default saved
Close

Search Location

Close

Sign In

Please sign in to use this feature.