What time you think it is is called the perception of time. The perception of time is a valid question and often differs from actual clock time.
Most people can correctly state whether it is morning, afternoon, or evening without a clock or looking outside. Nighttime, of course, is easiest, because it is dark.
But when clouds, weather, or country's location makes cues of time difficult, it can change our perception of the correct time.
As some examples:
- You haven't slept well and awaken to see darkness outside. You feel confused; you don't know whether it is the middle of the night, early morning, or evening. In countries where time is manipulated (set back or ahead one hour), it can be difficult to decide what time of day it is!
- In the USA, in most states, clocks "fall back" one hour for winter. You fall asleep at 9 pm and awaken at 5 am -- both in dark hours.
- You live in Alaska which has months of darkness and months of light. What clock time is it when you have no clues or cues?
Cues or clues humans use:
- Presence of sunlight
- Brightness or intensity of sunlight - cloudy days can alter this perception.
- The position of the sun -- if we are outside to check the sun. Or, if our bedroom has an eastern facing window and we know the sun rises in the east, we can tell it is morning. But what if it is cloudy or dreary outside?
- Our circadian rhythm-- an internal clock that partly directs us when to eat, sleep, awaken. But if you fly to Another Country, the change in time zone and latitude/longitude can mess up your circadian rhythm.
- Routines and habits.
- External influences: The fire dept sets off a short siren at 6 pm every day in US small towns. TV News airs at the same times every day. Churches ring bells at certain times on Sunday mornings. People are called to prayers in some countries/cultures.
