Time to Spring Ahead for Daylight Savings Time
It is coming. March 12th begins Day Light Savings Time and it is right around the corner. The spring time change means that your child’s sleep may need some adjusting. Just when you got your little one on a predictable schedule, here comes another a bump in the road that can mess up your hard work.
When we change our clocks on March 12th we will move our clock forward one hour. Your child’s schedule will be off one hour which could result in sleep disruptions and bedtime battles. If your child usually wakes up at 7:00 am in the morning, that now means they will be waking up at 8:00 am. This may appear to be a good thing, but that also may mean your child will want to go to bed an hour later. This can easily start the cycle of going into an overtired state. Adjustments will need to be made to prevent this from happening.
The good news is your child will adjust to the time change. You just need to prepare, be patient and be consistent. Here are a couple methods to help your child deal with Day Light Saving Time.
Method One: The Gradual Approach
When daylight savings time is approaching, you can prepare your child ahead of time by adjusting everything little by little. We have to adjust for one hour in their schedule. To do the gradual change, you shift your day forward in 15-minute increments. You can start this a week or more ahead of time allowing for a couple of days at each interval change. We would start the bedtime about 15 minutes earlier each day. For example, if your child’s bedtime is 7:00 PM you would put them down to bed at 6:45 PM for a couple of nights. After a couple of days of the 6:30 PM bedtime, you would bump it up to 6:15 PM. You would adjust the time every two-three days until you reach the one-hour mark. You also want to adjust morning wake up and all naps and meals so everything is in place. In using the gradual method, your child will be adjusted by the time the big day arrives.
Method Two: The “Jump Right In” Approach
For this method you just rip off the band-aid on D day. On the day of the time change, you shift everything accordingly. We also want to keep in mind that your little one might be tired for up to a week as they adjust. If they lose sleep due to the time change then compensate for the lost sleep by offering an extra early bedtime so that they do not collect a sleep debt.
Tips For Both Approaches
- Make sure the room is extra dark for each sleep cycles to help the body shift the production of melatonin as your child adjusts to the new time change.
- The better rested your child is going into the shift in time, the better they will adjust.
- Choose a method that fits your child’s temperament best. If your child has a hard time with change or is sleep sensitive, then the “gradual approach” might work best for your family. If you child is flexible and handles change rather smoothly then the direct “jump right in approach” might be the option for your child.
- Help your child adjust to the time change as well as any other disruptions to the sleep schedule by being consistent
- It is important to have a consistent soothing routine. The sleep routine is a wonderful cue to your child that it is time for their bodies and minds to start to relax and get ready for sleep.
- It may take about a week until your little one has completely adjusted, so be patient with the process.
You got this!!!
If you need help with your child’s sleep. I offer a free 15-minute discovery call. I can share with you how I work with clients. Email me at [email protected] to set it up.
