As the end of daylight saving time approaches and the clocks prepare to “fall back,” many parents ask me if this change will disrupt their child’s sleep schedule. This one-hour shift can affect your child’s circadian rhythm, which is the body’s internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. The circadian rhythm responds primarily to natural light and darkness, helping us feel awake during the day and sleepy at night. When daylight saving time ends and the clocks “fall back,” the shift in time creates a mismatch between your child’s internal clock and the new external schedule. This disruption can cause your child to feel tired earlier in the evening or wake up too early in the morning, as their body is still following the old time. Today we will explore different tips to help your little one transition smoothly to the time change.
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 end of daylight saving time. You can begin this the week before the clock change, or start on the night of the clock change. I recommend this approach for children who are sensitive to changes in routine. A gradual shift helps their circadian rhythm to adjust more naturally, 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 gradual adjustment not only helps their body clock adapt more comfortably to the upcoming time change but also prepares them for a smoother transition when you set their bedtime to 8:00 PM on the night of the clock change, effectively aligning their schedule with the new clock time. 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) you would do the following:
24th October: Bedtime at 7:15 PM, waking up at 7:15 AM. (12 hours)
25th October: Bedtime at 7:30 PM, waking up at 7:30 AM. (12 hours)
26th October: Bedtime at 7:45 PM, waking up at 7:45 AM. (12 hours)
October 27th (the night of the clock change): Bedtime at 8:00 PM, waking up at 7:00 AM (12 hours, thanks to the additional hour gained from the clock change). The 8:00 PM bedtime will align with tomorrow’s 7:00 PM, and waking up at 7:00 AM is now consistent with the new clock time.
28th October onwards: Return to the normal schedule of 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. (12 hours) You are now back to your regular routine.
Option 2: Adjusting by 30-minute Increments
For this option I recommend beginning 4 days before the clock change. For 2024, this would mean beginning on the 23rd October. Set their bedtime to be half an hour later than normal and maintain this for four days. 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, adjust bedtime by an additional half hour. This will result in a new bedtime that is one hour later, aligning perfectly with the clock change. On the night of the clock change, to maintain your child’s normal sleep duration, you should wake them up at their usual time according to the new clock time. 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:
23rd-26th October: Bedtime at 7:30 PM, waking up at 7:30 AM. (12 hours)
October 27th (the night of the clock change): Bedtime at 8:00 PM, waking up at 7:00 AM (12 hours, thanks to the additional hour gained from the clock change). The 8:00 PM bedtime will align with tomorrow’s 7:00 PM, and waking up at 7:00 AM is now consistent with the new clock time.
28th October onwards: Return to the normal schedule of 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. (12 hours) You are now back to your regular routine.
Wake Times
When following the gradual transition process, it’s essential not to wake your child until the correct time. This ensures that they maintain their total sleep duration throughout the adjustment period. If they wake up too early and don’t get the necessary amount of sleep, they may become overtired, which further complicates their ability to fall asleep at the adjusted bedtimes. If your child gets out of bed too early, gently guide them back to their room. If they rely on their clock, consider adjusting the clocks time to match the wake time you want. This also applies to babies who are still in a cot. It’s important to let them adapt to sleeping until their designated wake time. Waking a child at inconsistent times or allowing them to get up early can lead to confusion in their internal body clock, making it difficult for them to establish a regular sleep pattern. Therefore you want to select the option that you feel will work best for you and your little one when deciding how to adjust to the clock change.
Going Cold Turkey
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with maintaining your children’s normal schedule during the clock change. This approach works well for many families, and if it suits you, there’s no need to make any adjustments! However, 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. You can apply the same principles, simply shifting the focus to the week following the time change instead of the week before.