How to Prepare for Daylight Saving? The Fall Version.
Preparing your child for daylight saving time in the fall can help make the transition smoother. When DST ends, we set our clocks back one hour, which can affect your child's sleep schedule. So if your child wakes up at 7 am now, he/she can be waking up at 6 am.
So here are some tips to help your child adjust to the time change:
0-4 months
At this stage, the body has not really developed the biological clock yet so the impact is most probably minimal at this point. Yet to be on the safe side, you can start 3-5 days ahead of time change to:
Offer additional nap in the evening before bedtime (if your current bedtime is already early at 7 pm) so that you can start offering sleep later in the day.
If your child wakes up super early (anytime before 7 a.m.) you can prolong your stay in the room in the dark before leaving the room to start the day).
4 months+
In the week leading up to the time change, gradually adjust your child's bedtime and nap schedule by 15 minutes each day until they are on the new schedule. This can help their internal clock to adapt more easily.
We will start planning ahead of time, this time could be 4 days or can go up to 1 week/10 days. 4 weeks for children who are flexible with timings and changes, and the longer preparation phase will be for sensitive children who are easily impacted by any changes.
If you will start with the 4-days plan:
Start by pushing the overall day (naps and bedtime), 15 minutes later 4 days before the time change so by the time you reach the day of the time change the body will be automatically set on the new time. It will take a few days for the body to adjust afterward and that is normal.
If you plan ahead earlier:
Then you can push 5-10 minutes every day instead of moving fast (15 minutes) so in this case you may need around a week.
For toddlers: 18 months+: You can actually move faster (30 minutes/day)
If you want to start the day early: If you are currently on a later schedule and want to start the day earlier, you can actually keep everything as it is and use this time change for your benefit to shift everything earlier.
After the time change happens:
All of us including children will need some time to adapt to the time change if your child continues to be waking up super early. You will need to prolong the wake window of the child for another 10-15 minutes throughout the day to push through into the new timings.
Try also not to leave the room before 6 a.m. (or later if you want to reach a later schedule).
You will also need to get exposed to daylight as soon as you start the day, get exposed to daylight for 30 minutes -1 hr once you start the day (on the new timing) to help the body naturally reset the clock into the new timezone.
Here are additional tips to make this a smooth transition:
Distract the child: During the time when you are trying to extend the window of the child, you may need to leave the house and entertain the child with playtime to help him/her stay awake longer to be able to reset the day again.
Maintain a consistent routine: Keep your child's daily routine as consistent as possible. This includes meals, playtime, and naps. A predictable schedule can help signal to your child's body when it's time to sleep.
Darken the room: Use blackout curtains or shades in your child's bedroom to block out early morning sunlight. Stay in the room longer.
Manage exposure to light: In the morning, expose your child to natural light. This can help reset their internal clock and signal that it's time to wake up. Spend some time outside if possible.
Maintain your calm bedtime routine: Establish a calming bedtime routine that helps signal to your child that it's time to wind down. This might include activities like reading a book, taking a warm bath, or gentle cuddling.
Be patient: Understand that it might take a few days for your child to fully adjust to the new time. Be patient and give them some time to adapt.
Stay consistent: Consistency is key when helping your child adapt to time changes. Once they are on the new schedule, try to maintain it as closely as possible.
Remember that every child is different, and some may adjust more quickly than others. Be flexible and adapt these strategies to best suit your child's needs. By taking steps to ease the transition, you can help your child adapt to the end of daylight saving time more smoothly.
