Leave the dark cycle dark- that hour on you suggested is too stressful.
Want to save electric? Look at your habits. Put your TV and computer on a power strip, and shut it off when not in use (=ghost draw). Your computer draws some serious juice.
To cool your house instead of ac running all the time, open your windows at dusk and get fans going. Close them and draw the curtains at sunrise. This is how it's been done for centuries before electricity.
Do your laundry a tthe laundromat.
Swithc all your lights to CFLs .