It’s that time again, Daylight Savings Time (DST). We will be changing our clocks back one hour. So how can you ensure that you and your family will enjoy a smooth transition?
If your children easily adjust to this transition, consider yourself lucky! But if last year left you feeling sleep deprived, a few proactive steps taken in the week leading up to the time change, will ensure you can enjoy a well deserved extra hour of sleep.
The Easy Going Baby or Child:
These children typically have low difficulty with sleep transitions. Saturday, plan to adjust the day’s meals, activity, and naps to set up your child to get to bed later, and have a smooth transition. Immediately, or within a few days, their body will adjust.
Children with More Noticeable Responses to Transition:
Prepare for the transition in small baby steps leading up to Sunday. Beginning on Wednesday, of the week prior to the time change, start to push back bedtime by 15 minutes to create a slower ease into transition. Be mindful of activity level, meals, and snacks throughout the day, and stick to your bedtime routine. As we know with any bedtime routine, consistency is key! On the following day, push back bedtime an additional 15 minutes, and continue this pattern leading up to Saturday night. After DST, continue to follow your activity, meals, and bedtime routine with consistency while your child’s internal clock is adjusting.
Other Tips:
- A well rested child is a better sleeper than an over-tired child. Make sure your child is well rested leading into this transition.
- To help reset your child’s internal clock, keep lights in your house brighter leading up to bedtime, and lights dimmer in the first few hours of wake time this week and into next week.
- Spend time outdoors this week! Getting more exposure to daylight will help reset your child’s internal clock.
- Get active – more activity will provide for more successful naps and night time sleep.
- Most importantly, have patience. It can take anywhere from a day to a week to transition our sleep routine. Do your best to keep your child up at night until it is “time” but do not force it. If your child wakes up early, keep lights dim and keep activity level low to start your day. Also, push back breakfast if possible by 15 minutes each day in the days leading up to Sunday. Our hunger cycles coincide with our sleep cycles.
We hope these tips help get you and your little one through this transitional time with ease!
