Going Full 24

Can shifting to a 24-hour cycle benefit you? Exploring a different method for approaching 'time'

Photo by Minku Kang on Unsplash

In a post from April 2 of this year I laid out the case for why the switch to Daylight Saving Time - that unholy ritual we annually perform every pre-spring - is not only harmful physically and psychologically, but deliberately unnatural.

From disruptions to our circadian rhythms, interruptions in our organic sleeping patterns, and the inflated risks of cardiac events and automobile accidents, I explained why it is not only temporally dangerous but also spiritually harmful, as it disconnects us from our very nature.

As part of that article I had a brief section discussing how we measure time on a daily basis, that even that appears to be - again, deliberately - unnatural. As our biological systems naturally operate on a 24-hour schedule, the act of dividing our days into what are essentially two separate, 12-hour days has the potential to wreck havoc on the subconscious mind. Since we know the mind has the power to affect - for good or bane - those biological systems, ‘time’ itself (or how we measure it, anyhow) seems to be assaulting us from within.

Consider this: How often do you go to a noon-time lunch, and return feeling drained and without focus - probably more often than not. Perhaps it is because the clock on your day has literally been reset - it is now 1:00 PM, and on a subconscious level you’re starting a brand new day without any rest.

No wonder you feel out of sorts.

While this theory may seem highly speculative, the 12/12 system does seem to be counter-intuitive… yet we slavishly continue to follow it without question. We do not even consider an alternative, because this is how we have always done things… right? Don’t rock the boat, they would say.

Well, I never have embraced ‘smooth sailing’ just for its own sake. If we can find a better way, give that boat a shake or two.

So I have. I did.

Soon after I posted the aforementioned article, I decided to do a test. I discarded every clock I had in my home which did not have a 24-hour option (which was every clock I owned), and replaced them with clocks which were either capable of a 24-hour display… or were setup that way as a matter of course.

My changes included this nifty wall clock

I also changed all my electronic devices (phone, tablet, computer, etc.) over to 24-hour time, committing myself to adhering - as much as possible - to a truly natural cycle.

And the results after six weeks? Much better than expected.

Here is where I have to be completely honest: My expectations were very low. There was a sizable part of my brain which genuinely believed this experiment was going to result in wasted effort and money, along with owning at least one useless clock. It seemed such an elementary practice that I figured someone had tried it before and determined it was a fool’s errand, otherwise everyone would be doing it… right?

Still, I had to try it for myself; I’m stubborn like that.

Considering my skepticism, what I discovered was quite surprising. Almost immediately I noticed improvement in my sleeping patterns; my body was responding better to my desire to fall asleep at an earlier time, and my overweighing desire to grab an afternoon nap began to dissipate as well.

Other benefits took time to manifest. I started noticing that I - generally speaking - had more energy throughout the day, as well as a heightened sense of awareness of what was going on around me. I just felt more alert and… well, rested.

To be fair, I do understand that these effects may well be entirely placebo-based, due to factors both subconscious and psychological. As I mentioned above (and in the previous article), what happens in the brain most definitely translates into tangible outcomes to our physical and emotional states; this would certainly fit into that category.

I should also note that this is not a proverbial magic-bullet; after all, there are no quick, all-compassing fixes for anything metaphysical. It is simply one of many steps toward getting back to how nature has demonstrated it intends for us to live; just one step, yes, but I now believe it is a vital step that everyone should seriously consider.

As such, I recommend giving a shift to living in 24-hour time a try. Sure, everyone you know is working from the 12/12 paradigm, so adjustments are necessary when out in the world; additionally, if you are unfamiliar it can take time to master the art of converting PM times into the 24-hour format. From my perspective, however, the effort is well worth the results.

The most important thing about the change, at least to me? It enhances the drive to reclaim something which has been covertly stolen from us: Our temporal and spiritual connection with our natural cycles and natural existence.

With nature itself.

Credit: Special thanks to Raesa, whose proofing skills are highly valued.