This is a public service announcement. As Daylight Savings time concludes, it is important that the general public be aware of the possible side effects and occurrences that coincide with a state-wide unanimous biannual time zone change. These changes have been known to be deadly, so prevention of these side effects will also be included for the safety of others.
Please note that most of these side effects arise from one reason: the circadian rhythm is unable to completely adjust to the new time change instantly, and many of the systems controlled by the circadian rhythm respond negatively due to this. Many of the side effects mentioned in this PSA are controlled by the circadian rhythm, that is to say: mental well-being, hunger, competence, and time perception.
Decreased productivity is one of the most prominent side effects of the timezone change. Due to the circadian rhythm needing time to adjust to the suddenly shifted schedule, your body may suffer from metabolism problems due to your digestion system being unprepared for the sudden change in when you eat. Your mental state will follow alongside, as much confusion can occur due to your body trying to adjust to the sudden change in schedule. These two changes will make you unable to be as productive as before for at least a week and may leave you in an agitated state. To circumvent this, please schedule grace periods (i.e. filler time in between your schedule to relax or scream) for yourself. Ration any major productivity sessions to whenever the need for it is the highest during your schedule.
The circadian rhythm controls the perception of time. The change in time will affect this perception and confuse internally. Due to the confusion caused by the modifications of your internal circadian rhythm during this time, please also expect that car crash rates will increase during this time. Reaction times of drivers will also be slower during this time, which unfortunately exacerbates this effect. Because this problem also involves other drivers, the only way to effectively circumvent this would be to drive less and to only go into buildings within walking or biking distance from your household. As this solution is impractical, the only practical solution would be awareness, such as what this PSA intends to provide.
Unfortunately, the rates of death by suicide substantially increase during this period. This effect compounds alongside the United States election season, which is known to be a very emotional time for many people in the local and national areas. If you know any persons who are at risk of death by suicide, please encourage them to not kill themselves and give them a reason or motivation to continue living. Creating a petition for a suicidal person’s life can serve as encouragement to a suicidal individual to not commit the final action.
Finally, similar to the paragraph about confusion, the wreckage of the circadian rhythm will make individuals both hungry and angry. It is strongly recommended that individuals remain patient, understanding, and compassionate with each other. This experience is, unfortunately, universal within the community and, likely, the side effects of the change and their intensity will greatly vary per individual.
