In my experience both as a parent and a sleep consultant, I know daylight savings can send sleep south quickly! It doesn’t matter whether the clocks are going forward or back, it can take weeks for little ones to settle into the new timing.
I’m sure you know what the effects of daylight savings feel like, it’s no different for our children. Children thrive on routine so they tend to be very structured in going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning, this is why people notice the effects of daylight savings the most in children.
I tend to get a lot of questions about ‘dealing with’ daylight savings, so I’d like to share my tips on preparing for both the beginning and the end of daylight savings.
Moving the clocks forward
I love the beginning of daylight savings because it means long warm days filled with summer holidays, BBQ’s and lots of fun family time! To ease into the new time, split the time difference…
Older Children who Don’t Nap:
If your child/ren no longer nap and normally go to bed at 7:00pm, on the Sunday daylight savings starts, move bedtime to 7:30 (half an hour later than usual). Keep this bedtime for 3 nights, then on the 4th-night move bedtime up another 30mins which will be the regular time (e.g. 7:00pm) in the new adjusted time.
If you find your child is really struggling to extend their wake time by a full 30mins, you can increase over a longer period and look to increase in 15-20min increments every 3 days.
Toddlers from 12months Still Napping:
With children that still require naps, start your daylight savings preparation on the Sunday when the clocks are due to change. Push the morning naptime 30mins later than normal. For example, if naptime was usually 9:30, you would hold out until 10:00. The same goes for the afternoon nap, push it out 30mins. For bedtime, if the usual bedtime is 7:00, push it back to 7:30.
Stick to this routine for 3 days, then on the 4th-night push bedtime back another 30mins (this will now be 7:00 in the new adjusted time), and on the 5th day push naptimes back 30mins.
If you find your child is really struggling to extend their wake time by a full 30mins, you can increase over a longer period and look to increase in 15-20min increments every 3 days.
Babies and Infants:
If you have a baby and bedtime has become predictable (usually over 6 months old), meaning bedtime is around the same time each night, you can start on the Sunday the clocks are due to change. Move your baby’s naptime later by 15mins (so if naptime has been 9:00, it becomes 9:15). This is the same for all naps across the day. Push bedtime back by 15mins as well (so if bedtime has been 7:00, it becomes 7:15). For the next few days, you continue to move all naps and bedtime back by 15mins until you have adjusted into the new time (this should take 4 days).
If the bedtime routine is not predictable yet, you can jump straight into the new time for naps and bedtime.
Tips to help with this transition
At this end of daylight savings, the time change isn’t the only thing that may wreak havoc on your child’s sleep. Those hours of extra sunlight can also provide some challenges with settling to sleep and waking early. Make sure you invest in some good black out curtains or blinds. Try to darken your living areas if possible in the lead up to bedtime as well.
With these lovely longer days, your child may take to waking early with the rising sun. Here are my top tips in dealing with early wakings:
- Keep the room dark, and the house quiet to help your child to sleep as long as possible
- Keep your child in their room if they wake until it is at least 6:00am (adjusted time)
- Use a gro clock or similar to help your child know when it is time to get up
- An alternative to the Gro Clock, use a digital alarm clock, tape over the minute numbers so only the hour number shows. Teach your child they aren’t to get up until they see a number 7 (only suitable for older children with the ability to recognise numbers)
- Be patient
- Remain consistent
It takes up to one full week for all of our bodies to adjust to the change in time so give it time and know that your baby will get back on track within a few weeks.
Here if you need
Daylights Savings can be a very trying time but with consistency and patience, you will all get through it. As always, I’m here to help if you get stuck along the way so please reach out if you need.
Sleep well