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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Feel horrendous every time the clocks go back

117 replies

GCAcademic · 30/10/2023 18:43

Literally the day that the clocks go back, I feel awful. It seems to get worse every year and lasts for weeks. Exhausted by 4pm, freezing cold (even with the heating at 20 degrees), just want to crawl into bed before it’s even dinner time.

Anyone else? And does anyone have any tips for dealing with this?

OP posts:
Coffeerum · 30/10/2023 20:36

It’s one hour. Some of these posts are so dramatic.

Livedandlearned · 30/10/2023 20:36

The clocks didn't go forward at midnight?

WolfFoxHare · 30/10/2023 20:36

I’d cheerfully have BST all year round.

BooBooBaloo · 30/10/2023 20:37

I have the same when clocks go forward and you lose an hours sleep. I LOVE it when they go back though

Itwasamemo3 · 30/10/2023 20:39

How on earth can anyone feel jet lagged by an hour time difference?

Delatron · 30/10/2023 20:39

SocialistSally · 30/10/2023 20:33

I run and walk the dog in winter. Why does the darkness stop you? Get a head torch?

I hate both clock changes. Makes me feel awful. They are pointless. And yes research shows an increase in car accidents and heart attacks on clock change.

Show quote history

I just don’t find it pleasant running in the dark. Or walking the dog.

Obviously I’ll walk him in the day. But it’s hard to argue that a lovely light, warm, stroll along the river with the dog in the summer (with him jumping in for a swim) and maybe a little stop for a drink outside at a pub is worse than walking the streets in the dark and rain. I mean I’m sure someone will pop along and say how amazing dark, rainy, cold dog walks are…

Itwasamemo3 · 30/10/2023 20:39

Coffeerum · 30/10/2023 20:36

It’s one hour. Some of these posts are so dramatic.

Agree 🙄

Itwasamemo3 · 30/10/2023 20:42

Delatron · 30/10/2023 20:39

I just don’t find it pleasant running in the dark. Or walking the dog.

Obviously I’ll walk him in the day. But it’s hard to argue that a lovely light, warm, stroll along the river with the dog in the summer (with him jumping in for a swim) and maybe a little stop for a drink outside at a pub is worse than walking the streets in the dark and rain. I mean I’m sure someone will pop along and say how amazing dark, rainy, cold dog walks are…

Show quote history

But that will happen ,even if the clocks don’t go back . It would still be dark in a couple of weeks time 🤷‍♀️

SocialistSally · 30/10/2023 20:45

Actually lots of people, including neurodivergent and some mental illnesses (bipolar disorder), have been shown to have more sensitive circadian rhythms. It was actually a doctor that pointed out to me that me feeling shit was in time with clock change.

I don’t mind the dark. And I find it weird that always on MN if you don’t feel the same way as someone they must be making it up.

SocialistSally · 30/10/2023 20:45

I don’t like running in the summer as it’s to hot. And for me too hot is anything over 18-20 degrees 😂

I love running in the rain.

CallieQ · 30/10/2023 20:48

HeddaGarbled · 30/10/2023 20:27

One hour time change and you have all those symptoms for weeks? That has to be psychological rather than physiological, surely.

A previous poster compared it to jet-lag which makes sense. But people don’t experience jet-lag involving times changes considerably greater than one hour for weeks.

Everyone is different @HeddaGarbled
I honestly have felt jet lagged all day

MelAndTim · 30/10/2023 20:49

I absolutely hate the summer heat despite me feeling like I want to hibernate this week.

As I’ve got older I prefer the darker winter nights, it feels like there’s less pressure to do things in the evenings, more time to relax.

So, I prefer this time of year, just need to adjust a bit.

Delatron · 30/10/2023 20:49

Itwasamemo3 · 30/10/2023 20:42

But that will happen ,even if the clocks don’t go back . It would still be dark in a couple of weeks time 🤷‍♀️

Show quote history

Yes I know but the clock change just adds to the woe and the lack of being able to do anything in the light from late afternoon. I find it getting dark at 6 much better than 5 or earlier. It’s only an hour but has a big impact. Eventually it’s just dark from early but this clock change speeds it up.

Scalottia · 30/10/2023 20:49

Jetlagged? It's one hour.

Original poster
GCAcademic · 30/10/2023 20:51

Scalottia · 30/10/2023 20:49

Jetlagged? It's one hour.

I don’t suffer from jet lag on short haul travel, I’m OK up to 4 hours or so. So I don’t think it’s that.

OP posts:
CallieQ · 30/10/2023 20:51

Coffeerum · 30/10/2023 20:36

It’s one hour. Some of these posts are so dramatic.

Some posters have more sensitive circadian rhythms.

Delatron · 30/10/2023 20:51

There’s lots of studies to show the clock change has a similar impact to jet lag. It affects our biorhythms. Great if you’re not impacted but why be so dismissive of those that are?

CallieQ · 30/10/2023 20:52

Delatron · 30/10/2023 20:51

There’s lots of studies to show the clock change has a similar impact to jet lag. It affects our biorhythms. Great if you’re not impacted but why be so dismissive of those that are?

Well said

Forgoodnesssakejustletme · 30/10/2023 20:52

I remember when my son was little changing the clock by ten minutes for a few days before clock change to gently run into it. Maybe you could try that next time? Can't remember the details and cba to work it out now but I guess you might get the gist 😊

TheOccupier · 30/10/2023 20:53

YABU! It's one hour. Woman up. Personally I enjoyed the extra hour in bed. Go out to the gym in the evening and do a workout, swim or exercise class if you want to shake off any low mood or sluggishness.

RampantIvy · 30/10/2023 20:53

SocialistSally · 30/10/2023 20:45

Actually lots of people, including neurodivergent and some mental illnesses (bipolar disorder), have been shown to have more sensitive circadian rhythms. It was actually a doctor that pointed out to me that me feeling shit was in time with clock change.

I don’t mind the dark. And I find it weird that always on MN if you don’t feel the same way as someone they must be making it up.

I think that the fact that it coincided with a full moon didn't help. Although the skies have been so murky this week you wouldn't have known that.

There is another thread on mumsnet discussing this BTW, but I can't find it to link to.

CallieQ · 30/10/2023 20:55

TheOccupier · 30/10/2023 20:53

YABU! It's one hour. Woman up. Personally I enjoyed the extra hour in bed. Go out to the gym in the evening and do a workout, swim or exercise class if you want to shake off any low mood or sluggishness.

🙄

IrritableVowel · 30/10/2023 20:56

Itwasamemo3 · 30/10/2023 20:39

How on earth can anyone feel jet lagged by an hour time difference?

I don't understand it, it was me who said that further up, but it reminds me of jet lag when I come home from America. But I was literally saying to my friend earlier, I don't understand how 1 hour makes me feel so shite. I am fine going to Spain and back!

All I know is that it makes me feel rotten and I don't like it.

whines

Clarabellasingsthisbit · 30/10/2023 21:03

Me too 🙁I felt dreadful yesterday; achey,nauseous and just downright awful.I slept badly on Saturday night -I'm not a great sleeper anyway but whenever I did drop off I had the sort of unpleasant,repetitive dreams I usually associate with having a fever.
Much better today though.

LuckySantangelo35 · 30/10/2023 21:07

YANBU Op, it’s crap. Winter is crap.

and it is, I don’t care what any of the ‘cozy, hot choc, snuggles with my little family’ brigade say!

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