More Darkness Coming Soon to Massachusetts

As someone who works the morning shift, I have realized over the years just how important light therapy can be. If you are someone who wakes up in the middle of the night (like a Dunkin' worker, a police officer or a fisherman), you know exactly what I mean.

For those of us on the SouthCoast who set our alarms before dawn, we are experiencing the final days of waking up early and seeing even a speck of daylight as we drive into our early-morning jobs. The sunrise will just keep getting later and later until it doesn't rise until 7:17 a.m. on November 2.  Then, Daylight Saving Time finally finally happens.

Unfortunately, the sunrise will only go back to 6:18 a.m. when we "fall back," pushing the next ride into work with any semblance of light into the spring.

It doesn't stop there.

We'll keep losing more than two minutes of daylight here on the SouthCoast each day.  As we cross weeks off of the calendar, the daylight will continue eroding until the winter solstice, when the days slowly start to get longer.

For most, though, the real sting when we set the clocks back is the sudden darkness in the late afternoon. During those extremely short days, it is not unusual for me to drive into work in the darkness, spend the day working, then drive home in the darkness.

That can really get to people.

READ MORE: SouthCoast Farmers Say Daylight Saving Time Is a Crock of Manure

Until recent years, I hadn't paid much attention to sunshine and how it can affect our moods. But if anyone needs convincing, ask yourself if you feel like you've had more energy over the past couple of weeks.

Is it just me? We've had so much sunshine here on the SouthCoast, I feel like I have been able to do more each day, I love taking the dog out for a walk and I'm feeling much less tired.

Alas, these long, sunny days can only continue for a little longer.

The bright side? The one benefit for a person with a schedule like mine is that you can go to bed nice and early without feeling like you're missing out on all the fun.