Changing the Clock to Daylight Savings Time is not the only Fallback Task
Summer is over and Fall is here. The colours are beautiful this time of year and Fall is one of the most beautiful seasons in Canada. One thing we have all noticed, besides the cooler temperatures, is that the days are getting shorter. Daylight Savings Time, November 6th has arrived and you are probably looking forward to that extra hour of sleep you will get when we change the clocks or “fallback”. However, a little more shut-eye, and the threat of being an hour early to work on Monday, are not the only things Daylight Saving Time should signal. Use this time to take care of important biannual tasks for your health and improve the safety around your home.
1. Boost your immunity with Vitamin D
We live in a country with little, if any, opportunity to synthesize Vitamin D in the Fall and Winter. The shorter days light provide us with decreased sunlight, and as such, it is recommended to supplement with daily Vitamin D. Daylight Savings Time signals an opportunity to start supplementing with Vitamin D until we turn the clock ahead again in the Spring. Vitamin D supplementation is important at all ages and Health Canada’s Dietary Recommended Intake is a good tool to gauge how much Vitamin D we all need.
2. Review your health insurance benefits.
Most health insurance benefits will renew on January 1st, 2022. That means that there are little more than 2 months left to take advantage of your 2021 benefits. Now is a good time to take a minute to review your and your partner’s benefits or talk to your HR representative about what your coverage is for 2021. At CURAVITA, we are happy to offer chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, and custom orthotic services that are covered by most health insurance benefits. If you don’t use it, you lose it!
3. Don’t wait, check the date!
Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years and Daylight Savings Time is the perfect time to replace all batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. To find out how old a smoke alarm is, look at the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm. Newly built homes in Ontario must have a smoke alarm combined with a strobe light in each bedroom. Older homes must contain at least one smoke alarm on each floor.
4. Check your fire extinguisher
Many people have a fire extinguisher at home but may not have the slightest idea of how or when to use it. Extinguishers should be installed near an escape route and be easily accessible in case of an emergency. They should be maintained on a regular basis, at least once a year. Ask your retailer how to have your extinguisher serviced and inspected. Everyone should have at least one fire extinguisher at home and they are divided into four categories, A, B, C, or D, based on different types of fires. Fire Prevention Canada suggests purchasing a BC for the kitchen and an ABC for the basement and garage. Refill your extinguisher after ANY use. Also, ensure your fire extinguisher is labelled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
5. Check your mattress and wash your pillows!
To make sure your mattress wears evenly, and that you continue to get a good night’s sleep, rotate it every six months. Daylight Savings Time in the fall and spring are the perfect times to rotate the mattresses and wash your pillows. Oils from your face, dead skin, and dust mites accumulate in your pillow over time, so they need a good cleaning twice a year. Owned a pillow for more than two years? Replace it to ensure you sleep soundly and pain-free.
6. Take stock of your first aid kit
Daylight Savings Time is a great time to declutter and refill your medical supplies and first aid kit. Toss anything that has expired. Check your flashlights and replace any depleted batteries. Be sure to also restock your candles and matches for surprise power outages.
7. Back up and clean up your computer files
It can be time-consuming, but cleaning up your computer, keeping files organized and backing up your data can keep precious memories and important documents safe and easily accessible.
8. Vacuum out your dryer’s vent and ducts
Lint lodged in the vent pipes, the space behind the dryer, and ducts outside your home are often the cause of dryer fires. Your vacuum’s crevice tool can help you get the job done.
9. Replace or clean filters in your home
A change of season is the perfect time to inspect and change the filters in your heating and air conditioning units to make sure your systems are still running well. Be sure to also check the water filter in your fridge and the HEPA filter in your vacuum.
10. Clean the oven
In preparation for the holiday parties and the colder months when we will use our oven more, make sure your kitchen is in tip-top shape by running your oven’s self-cleaning function — or getting on your hands and knees and doing some old-fashioned scrubbing.
11. Get your AC unit ready for winter
Winter is coming and Daylight Savings Time is a perfect time to winterize your air conditioning unit. Most people overlook this task and it only requires a little bit of time and could save you hundreds to thousands of dollars in the long run. The checklist includes: turning off the exterior power to your AC unit, cleaning the outside of your unit, checking the unit for cracks and damages and covering up your unit to protect it against the harsh Canadian winter.
12. Drain outside water lines
Lastly, if you own a home, chances are pretty good that you have at least one outdoor faucet. With outdoor faucets, it’s important to remember to detach your garden hoses at the end of the season, close the inside shut-off valves and drain the faucet fixture before it freezes. An outdoor water faucet is especially vulnerable to the cold, so it’s very important to prep your water faucets for the winter. The heat from your home that is transmitted through the pipes most likely won’t be enough to protect your outdoor faucet. Use Daylight Savings Time as a yearly reminder to shut off your outside water lines and avoid a pricey mistake!
Daylight Savings Time happens this fall on November 7, 2021. At 2:00 am we turn the clocks back and will gain an extra hour of sleep Sunday morning. Relish this well-deserved extra time to sleep in after a busy weekend of important biannual fallback tasks!
For more information about our healthcare team at CURAVITA visit us online. Our team of chiropractors, physiotherapists and massage therapists are here to help you feel and move better throughout the seasons.