Time to Spring Ahead, Check Batteries, Add Healthy Habits

Say farewell to darkness and hello to longer days and lighter nights. Sunday morning at 2 a.m. we will spring ahead one hour.

As Daylight Saving Time begins, officials at the city and county are reminding residents to take steps to stay safe and live a healthy lifestyle. 

Naperville Fire officials say that since clocks need to be set ahead one hour, it’s the perfect time to check and replace batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. 

Non-working smoke alarms put people at risk and make the safety equipment ineffective at helping protect against fire related injuries and deaths, according to a news release from the city of Naperville. 

“While we may lose an hour of sleep this weekend when we ‘spring ahead’ in time, it is nothing compared to losing a life due to a home fire,” Chief Mark Puknaitis said in a news release. “I encourage everyone to adopt the simple habit of changing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at the same time as when you change your clocks. Please tell your family, friends and neighbors to do the same.”

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced every 10 years. Batteries in alarms and detectors should be replaced at least once a year and should be checked once a month, according to the news release.

With the additional daylight, the DuPage County Health Department is offering a few ideas for residents to create a healthy lifestyle. 

One tip from the Health Department is to use the extra daylight to get out and do something recreational, whether walking, gardening – which will soon be possible, or taking up a new sport, such as golf or tennis.

The Health Department also notes that there tends to be in increase in vehicle accidents on the Monday after Daylight Savings Time begins. Driver’s who lose the extra hour of sleep are more prone to accidents, so motorists should drive more defensively.

Learn more about Daylight Saving Time in this Huffington Post story.