Daylight savings time is approaching, and as we spring forward we have to lose an hour of sleep to gain longer, sunnier days! The clock change can be tricky for babies as it disrupts their sleep routines. However, with a little planning you can help your baby adjust smoothly. Once they’re settled into the new schedule, you can make the most of the extra daylight. In my family we love to get the most out of morning walks, more outdoor playtime, and soaking up the sunshine as the days grow longer. Spending more time outside in the natural daylight will also have great sleep benefits. For example, exposure to natural daylight helps reset both you and your baby’s internal clock! Natural daylight boosts melatonin production, which supports a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
Gradual Transition Method
This is a gentle approach that gradually adjusts the schedule in small increments over several days, helping children smoothly adapt to the clocks springing forward. You can begin this in the days to week before the clock change. I recommend this approach for children who are sensitive to sudden changes in their routine. A gradual shift helps their circadian rhythm to adjust slowly so the change feels less abrupt.
Option 1: Adjusting by 15-minute Increments
To help your child smoothly transition their sleep schedule before the clock change, you can gradually adjust their bedtime in 15-minute increments. This prepares them for a smoother transition when you align their bedtime to the new schedule. In addition to adjusting bedtime, it’s important to synchronise all other routine elements, including wake times, meal times, and nap times by 15 minutes.
Example Schedule:
If your child’s sleep time is from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM (12 hours), your goal is to transition their schedule to 6:00 PM – 6:00 AM (old time), which will become 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM (new time) after the clocks move forward.
26th March: Bedtime at 6:45 PM, waking up at 6:45 AM. (12 hours)
27th March: Bedtime at 6:30 PM, waking up at 6:30 AM. (12 hours)
28th March: Bedtime at 6:15 PM, waking up at 6:15 AM. (12 hours)
29th March: Bedtime at 6:00 PM, waking up at 7:00 AM new time on 30th March. (12 hours)
Waking up on 30th March (the morning of the clock change): When your child wakes up on the 30th of March the clock change will have occurred (it happens at 1am!). Therefore you will wake them at their usual time, in this example it will be 7:00 AM. They are now back to their regular routine.
Option 2: Adjusting by 30-minute Increments
For this option I recommend beginning at least a day before the clock change. For 2025, this would mean beginning on the evening of the 28th March. Remember that the clocks change after your baby goes to sleep on the 29th, which becomes the 30th March after midnight! On the 28th or a few days before, set their bedtime to be half an hour earlier than normal. It’s important to also shift all wake times, meal times, and nap times by half an hour to maintain consistency. This consistency helps your child’s body clock adjust smoothly to the new schedule, reducing any potential disruptions in their routine. Then, on the night of the clock change (29th!), adjust bedtime by the additional half hour. To maintain your child’s normal sleep duration, you should wake them up at their usual time according to the new clock. From this point on, your regular schedule for sleep times, wake times, feeding, and naps will align with the new clock time.
Example Schedule:
If your child’s sleep time is from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM (12 hours) you would do the following:
28th March: Bedtime at 6:30 PM, waking up at 6:30 AM (12 hours).
29th March (the night of the clock change): Bedtime at 6:00 PM, waking up at 7:00 AM (12 hours, due to the hour lost when 1 AM jumps to 2 AM as it is now the morning of 30th March). Waking up at 7:00 AM is now consistent with the new clock time.
30th March onwards: Return to the normal schedule of 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM (12 hours). You are now back to your regular routine.
Spring Forward with the Clock
Finally, if your child is adaptable there is nothing wrong with just springing forward with the clock! There is no need for you to stress for several days leading up to daylight savings if you feel that your child will be able to cope with the clock change. You can apply the same principles, simply shifting the focus to the week following the time change instead of the week before.Make sure that you don’t adjust their entire schedule to be an hour later than it was before. You want to keep the schedule aligned exactly as it is now because your body clock is aligned with the sun. For example, if your child sleeps from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM, after the clock change they should still follow the 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM schedule. Make sure to align all wake times, meal times, and nap times to align with your normal schedule. If you find that this method isn’t effective for your family, it’s perfectly fine to start a gentle transition process after the clocks have changed.
