Why am I so tired? I blame the time change

(Part 1 of three parts about slowing down and getting some much-needed rest)

"Man, I wish I could sleep another hour or two."

That's what I think nearly every single morning as I drag my tired backside to the bathroom to prepare for another day. But why am I always so tired? This week, at least, I'm blaming the time change.

Why am I so tired? It can't possibly be because I stayed up too late last night (insert activity: watching TV, working on the computer, playing on the computer, reading, etc.). It can't possibly be because I'm getting up earlier than I need to so I can get to work and try to get ahead a bit (HA! Get ahead? What's that?).

Nope, I'm blaming the fact that we all "sprung ahead" an hour last weekend. I lost a whole hour's sleep! When am I going to get THAT back? (Oh yeah, this fall. But in the meantime, I'm sleep-deprived, man!)

And I have research to back up my excuse -- er, theory. An article on AOL News said this:

"In 2009, Michigan State University psychologists Christopher Barnes and David Wagner reported that there are more workplace injuries on the Mondays following that lost hour.

"The potential danger of daylight saving time aside, it is clear that the changes throws off our natural time-keeping rhythms. Till Roenneberg, a chronobiologist (this is no misprint) at the University of Munich, says that our internal clocks set themselves according to the environment. So, our natural chronometers keep time with the sun, not the alarm clocks sitting by our beds, and this is the main reason it is hard for us to adjust."

I'm busy all week, sure. I fill my weekends with busyness too. But I still think it's the time change that's causing me to be tired.

Just in case it's my behavior, though, I think I'll try going to bed a bit earlier each night this weekend and try taking it easy Sunday. Maybe Monday morning will be a bit easier as a result.

What does this have to do with spiritual reflection, you ask? Well, maybe a guy named Jesus even suggested that we take it easy a bit: 

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. -- Matthew 6:13