Falling Back Without the Fuss: Daylight Savings Tips
For many people, the twice-a-year daylight savings change is no big deal—especially in the fall when we gain an extra hour. It can feel like a well-earned treat to balance out the earlier sunsets and darker evenings. But if you’ve got little ones with a more rigid routine, the "fall back" time change can add a few extra frights to an already spooky season!
Don’t worry! There are a few simple tricks to help your family adjust smoothly, without too many sleep disruptions.
Option 1: Just Go With the Flow
Okay, this isn’t exactly a “strategy,” but for some families, doing nothing works just fine! If your child is more easygoing and doesn’t get too thrown off by slight changes to their schedule, you can roll with it. On the Saturday night of the time change, simply put your child to bed at their usual bedtime and get them up at their regular time on Sunday morning.
Sure, they may wake up a little earlier at first, but after a few days, they’ll likely adjust on their own. This approach is great if your child isn’t super sensitive to changes in their wake windows. However, if even the slightest schedule shift causes crankiness or meltdowns, a more gradual transition might be the way to go.
Option 2: Gradual Adjustment
For kiddos with more structured routines, a gradual adjustment can help ease them into the new time without as much chaos. Starting four days before the time change, begin shifting their schedule by 15 minutes later each day. If your child usually goes to bed at 7 p.m., on the Wednesday before the time change, push bedtime to 7:15 p.m. The next morning, they might wake up 15 minute later, or they will wake up at their usual time- it can take a few days for their bodies to catch up.
On Thursday, move all naps and bedtime 15 minutes later again, so bedtime is 7:30 p.m. Keep adding 15 minutes each day, so by Saturday, bedtime will be at 8 p.m. That way, on Sunday, the new 8 p.m. will feel like their old 7 p.m., and your child will be back in sync with their regular routine!
One thing to keep in mind: This gradual shift might leave your little one a bit overtired during the transition week, especially if they’re still waking up early despite the later bedtime. Their internal clock might take a little while to fully adjust, but the extra effort can pay off with a smoother transition overall.
Extra Tip: Use Light to Your Advantage!
Want to give your child a little extra nudge to sleep later? Keep their room as dark as possible in the morning and gradually delay their wakeup time by 15 minutes. If your little one wakes up early and gets upset, go ahead and comfort them, but keep things quiet and dark until it’s time to start the day. When it’s finally wake-up time, open the curtains, turn on the lights, and let them soak in some natural sunlight to help reset their internal clock.
The Bottom Line
Whether you decide to ease into daylight savings time gradually or just go with the flow, remember that your child’s sleep schedule will likely fall back into place after a few days. This seasonal transition might feel a bit tricky at first, but with a little patience (and maybe some extra coffee for you!), everything will be back on track soon enough.
Got questions about how daylight savings or other transitions might affect your family’s sleep? Let’s chat! Book a 15-minute discovery call, and we’ll work through it together!
