Suffolk News-Herald

As a public service reminder, please note that daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 26.

Uh-huh.

This weekend.

Already.

Before retiring Saturday night, remember to set your clocks and watches back one hour. You get that extra 3,600 seconds to sleep in before arising and getting ready for church. More on that subject later.

As for my fellow night owls, come 2 a.m. I’ll drink a toast in your honor, wherever you are. That’s because bars will remain open for 60 more minutes, give or take a few.

When I crawl home, figuratively speaking of course, the clocks in my dwelling may or may not be altered.

Regardless, I never lose sleep when it comes to this bi-annual adjustment in our clocks, especially that springing ahead each April.

Rather than bemoan how this upcoming change means that night will descend quicker, I want to direct your attention to the fact that we Americans all need more sleep.

Admit it, aren’t most of us too frequently tired on a daily basis? You don’t need scientific studies or magazine articles to tell you that’s true. Just look around you. Look in the mirror. Yawning faces burdened with heavily packed bags under the eyes. Co-workers sneaking off for power naps, such as yours truly has mastered. Work productivity slumps after lunch. Need I say more?

True, drinking more water through the day or night might help, but sleep is still a requisite.

With that in mind, I sincerely urge you to skip church this Sunday and relish that time in dreamland.

Don’t worry, the churches won’t close and the pastor’s family won’t starve because the collection plate is sparsely filled this week.

No doubt your soul is already secure, and believe you me, God will not mind either. Who knows, the Deity (or, the Goddess, if you will) may communicate to you directly through a dream. It worked for Joseph of the Old Testament, didn’t it? Look where those dreams got him: leader of Egypt, comeuppance on his low-life brothers, and the subject of an early successful Weber and Rice musical.

Yes, I’m serious about this prayer request of mine. Please stay home and sleep in if just for this Sunday. If you can’t sleep, then make breakfast a leisurely one.

You can thank me later.

Stephen H. Cowles is the managing editor and a regular columnist for the Suffolk News-Herald. He can be contacted at 934-9613 or via e-mail at stephen.cowles@suffolknewsherald.com. For a nominal fee, he is also available to teach power napping; free for special clients.