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The 5 Best apps to Adjust to Daylight Saving Time
Alexander Reed
Published on October 10, 2023
Daylight Saving Time (DST) marks that curious moment each year when we adjust our clocks an hour forward in spring and back in autumn, attempting to make better use of natural daylight. Yet, this shift often disrupts our body's internal clock, leading to sleep problems and a drop in productivity for many. Amidst these challenges, technology offers a helping hand. In the following list, we'll unveil the 5 best apps designed to ease the transition into and out of Daylight Saving Time, promising to help you reclaim your sleep and maintain your daily rhythm seamlessly.
Calm
Meditation and mindfulness apps
4.4
Calm
Starting our countdown at number 5, Calm takes a serene approach to adjusting to Daylight Saving Time. This meditation app stands out for its vast library of guided meditations, sleep stories and soothing music, all designed to promote relaxation and better sleep. Whether you're struggling to fall asleep after the clock change or just looking for a way to unwind, Calm offers tailored sessions that can help ease the transition. Its recognition as a top app in its category isn't just for its calming content; the personalized experience it provides makes it a go-to for anyone looking to improve their mental and physical well-being during the DST adjustment.
Todoist
Personal development and self-improvement apps
4.4
Todoist
At number 4, Todoist tackles the productivity slump that often accompanies Daylight Saving Time. It's not just a to-do list app; it's a productivity tool that helps you organize your life. With features that allow you to set reminders, prioritize tasks and visualize your progress, Todoist helps you stay on track even when your internal clock is off. The app's intuitive design and flexibility make it perfect for anyone looking to maintain or boost their productivity levels during the time change, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.
Toggl Track
Time tracking and invoicing apps
4.5
Toggl
Toggl lands at number 3 with its powerful time management features. As Daylight Saving Time throws a wrench in our usual schedules, Toggl offers a seamless way to track how you spend your time, with detailed reports and insights to improve efficiency. Whether you're working, studying or just trying to make the most of your day, Toggl helps you see where your time goes, making it easier to adjust and find balance. Its user-friendly interface and integration capabilities with other productivity tools make it an indispensable asset for anyone looking to master their time during DST.
Alarmy
Sleep tracking and management apps
4.6
Alarmy
Number 2 on the list is Alarmy, a unique and effective application designed to ensure you're up and ready to face the day, especially during the tricky transition periods of Daylight Saving Time. Known as the "world's most annoying alarm," Alarmy does more than just ring at a set time. It offers various missions like math problems, shaking your phone or even taking a picture of a predefined area in your house to turn off the alarm. This innovative approach not only wakes you up but also ensures you're physically out of bed, combating the grogginess that DST adjustments can bring. Its unique features make it a great tool for those who struggle with changing sleep schedules, helping users start their day with an immediate burst of activity.
Sleep Cycle
Sleep tracking and management apps
4.3
Sleep Cycle
Finally, taking the top spot at number 1, Sleep Cycle is the ultimate tool for navigating the challenges of Daylight Saving Time. This alarm and sleep tracker app stands out for its intelligent alarm clock feature, which gently wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase within a set time window. This ensures a more natural awakening, mitigating the grogginess often associated with the abrupt time change. Sleep Cycle also provides insightful analytics on your sleep patterns, helping you understand and improve your sleep over time. With its iendly interface and impactful features, Sleep Cycle is the perfect companion for anyone looking to ease the transition into and out of Daylight Saving Time, securing its place as the top app on our list.
From Sweat to Sleep: Exercising Your Way to Easy DST Adjustments
Embracing exercise is a powerful strategy to mitigate the impacts of Daylight Saving Time on our bodies and minds. Physical activity, whether it's a morning jog, an afternoon bike ride or a calming yoga session in the evening, can significantly enhance our ability to adjust to the time change. Exercise not only promotes the release of endorphins, which improve mood and decrease stress but also helps regulate our internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Incorporating regular exercise into our routine during the transition into and out of Daylight Saving Time can lead to profound benefits for sleep quality and overall productivity. For instance, engaging in light to moderate exercise in the morning can help reset our sleep-wake cycle by signaling to our body that it's time to start the day, thereby improving alertness and energy levels. Evening workouts, on the other hand, should be more relaxing and less intense to promote relaxation and prepare the body for sleep. Moreover, physical exertion helps deepen sleep cycles, allowing for more restorative rest and reducing the chances of waking up during the night. This improved sleep pattern directly translates to higher productivity and better concentration throughout the day, as a well-rested mind is more capable of tackling tasks efficiently and with greater focus.
To further enhance the benefits of this approach, leveraging fitness apps like Planet Fitness, MyFitnessPal and Strava can be incredibly effective. These apps offer personalized workout plans, nutritional tracking and social features to keep you motivated, ensuring your exercise regime is not only consistent but also enjoyable. By weaving exercise into our daily lives, especially during the adjustment period of Daylight Saving Time and utilizing these fitness applications, we equip our bodies with the tools needed to navigate the challenges of the time change, ensuring smoother transitions, better sleep and enhanced daytime functioning.
The Chronology of Change: DST's Controversial Timeline
Daylight Saving Time (DST) has a rich history that's sparked global debate since George Vernon Hudson first proposed the idea in 1895. Initially aimed at conserving energy by extending daylight during summer months, its adoption during World War I marked the beginning of an annual practice that's been both celebrated and criticized. Over the years, DST has been the subject of political, economic, and health-related controversies, with arguments ranging from its benefits to retail and outdoor activities to concerns over increased health risks following the spring transition. This patchwork of policies worldwide reflects a divide between countries that have embraced, abandoned, or never adopted DST. Recent discussions have leaned towards its abolishment, questioning the relevance of its original goals in today's world. Amid these ongoing debates, DST serves as a reminder of the intricate relationship between human invention and nature's rhythms, affecting societies' relationship with time. To deepen our understanding of DST's complexities, incorporating educational tools like apps, such as "Today In History," can offer valuable insights. These apps not only shed light on DST's historical context but also on significant events shaping our world, enriching the dialogue around its impact and evolution.
Conclusion
As we journey through the ebbs and flows of Daylight Saving Time, it's clear that technology and lifestyle adjustments stand as our allies against the clock's twice-yearly shuffle. From the calming influence of meditation apps to the structured support of productivity tools and the insightful guidance of sleep and exercise routines, we have a plethora of strategies at our fingertips. These tools not only help mitigate the adverse effects of DST but also enhance our overall well-being, ensuring we stay in harmony with time's inevitable dance.
My Personal Recommendation
“On a more personal note, if I had to pick a favorite from the list, it would undoubtedly be Sleep Cycle. There's something incredibly reassuring about an app that not only tracks your sleep but gently nudges you awake at the optimal moment. It's like having a wise friend who knows exactly when you need that soft wake-up call, ensuring you start your day feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever lies ahead. In the maze of DST adjustments, Sleep Cycle stands out as a beacon of restful nights and energized mornings.”
Alexander Reed
Verified Reviewer
Alexander Reed has always been drawn to cybersecurity and data and made his living out of writing about these topics. His favorite apps are Robinhood and Otter AI.
Writer for Best of Apps since October 10, 2023