Out of time

This is my third summer in Belgium, and I’m still blown away by the impossibly long days. Light licks around the edges of the room darkening curtains at 4:30 a.m., the birds begin singing, and the sun rises only an hour later, long before I want to open my eyes and greet the day.

I may not fall back to sleep, but I’ll linger in bed until at least 7 a.m. on those days when the light summons me too soon. At night, though, my body refuses to go to bed before the stars shine, even when I’m tired. This isn’t a good pattern for someone who needs a lot of sleep.

My home in Virginia was in an area located at the same latitude as Southern Spain. In June, the sky would grow dusky after 8 p.m., the sun would set around 8:40 p.m., and the sky darken at 9 p.m. Fourth of July fireworks would always be launched just after 9 in my hometown.

Here in Belgium, twilight doesn’t draw a veil across the landscape until 9:30, and the sun doesn’t set until after 10 p.m. Light lingers in the sky for quite a while longer. From the third floor of my house, I can see the Atomium (a famous Brussels landmark) on the horizon. By the time it’s dark enough for the evening light show there, it’s about 11 p.m.

Many a night I sit typing at the computer, completely oblivious to how late it’s getting because a lifetime of the summer sun setting around 8:30 p.m. has permanently set my interior clock. By the time it dawns on me, that gee, I’m feeling bone tired, it’s already late. And then there’s the kitchen to clean and a shower to take before slipping between the sheets.

Too often I get to see the digital clock in the bedroom hit 00:00, always a disconcerting site for a North American who is accustomed to clocks running on twelve hour cycles and never, ever displaying all zeroes.

But the zeroes are a good reminder that the day is over, I’m out of time, I MUST GO TO BED. In what will feel like the blink of an eye, the sun will be nudging me awake again, the birds calling me to breakfast.

June 20, 2007

©2007 Veronica McCabe Deschambault and V-Grrrl. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Nancy]

Before we visited London a couple of summers ago, I'd had no idea that the sun was in the sky longer due to the specific latitude/longitude coordinates of the city. Some nights it was light until nearly midnight. With that and trying to adjust to the time difference my sleep cycles were totally out of whack.

I imagine the clock full of zeros would be quite disconcerting.

[Mary-LUE]

I'm with Nancy. I think the all zero time on the clock would require some getting used to. But... it is great for a metaphor, isn't it?

[Arabella]

Do you feel like you get more out of each day, since the daylight hours are a little longer?

[Peter]

"Many a night I sit typing at the computer, completely oblivious to how late it’s getting" - I could have posted it myself :-)

But then again, Dailight Saving Time in Belgium is just great: there's even a summer fireworks display late on Friday June 29 over on the riverbanks in Antwerp.

For most Europeans a 12h clock is most confusing - although we all say "I'll meet you at 5", we do tend to type 17.00 on all written material.

It all boils down to what one grew up with: 70°F is a familiar temperature for all Americans while most Europeans haven't got a clue how cold/warm that may be.

[V-Grrrl]

Arabella,

I tend to fall asleep every afternoon--so I don't think I get more done! Siesta Grrrl lives!

[wordgirl]

All zeros? That's news to me!

[AP in UK]

With the summer solstice tomorrow, I've been reflecting on the same thing. Do you suppose there is a way to "bank" the daylight we're enjoying now, to use in December and January when the days here are impossibly short...?

[Tera]

I wrote a post about sleep a couple days ago...didn't think of the light being yet another problem, but it could be. Trying to get my kids to sleep is quite a chore. Although I have to admit, I love being able to sit outside at 10 when it's still light and all is quiet. And 00:00, I think tha's just brilliant! As hard as it is to get used to, it sure makes a lot of sense once you do.