Ep. 8 Daylight Saving Time for Children to Fall Back- Time Change Tips

circadian rhythm daylight saving time podcast sleep tips to fall back

Daylight Saving Time (DST) affects the body's internal clock, disrupting sleep patterns due to sudden changes in time and light exposure. This can lead to trouble falling asleep, decreased sleep quality, and possible health impacts. Being proactive with adjustments to daily routines can help the body adapt to DST.

For babies, circadian rhythms start forming between 3-6 months, often evident during the 4-month sleep regression. Fortunately, children are adaptable, and by implementing gradual changes to sleep routines, the transition to the fall back can be smoother and less stressful for families.

Making the transition for Daylight Saving Time

Use light to help you. Starting on Wednesday or Thursday before DST, start to encourage more natural or artificial light at night the hour before bed. In the morning keep it dim and quiet until it’s time to wake up in your home. Turn lights on and offer breakfast or a feeding to say, “now it’s time to start our day!”

Use black out shades, if needed. Some children are light sensitive so using darkening shades as a tool can help minimize the light distractions in the early morning.

Decide what approach you will do. Below, you’ll see a couple of approaches in how to make the transition. Making a decision is the first step in being your child’s calm and confident leader.

Write it down. Writing out your plan will help you commit and follow through with the changes you desire in your home. Review your schedule, family rhythms and figure out the best way to approach the bedtime, nap, and meal transitions for your family. The bedtime plan chart below can help you get started.

Be consistent and follow through with your plan. Work as a team to help everyone be accountable for the timing changes.

Follow your routines. The flexible routines you have around eating, sleeping, and playing will help your child know what to expect. Your child is looking for predictable routines, which allows you to tweak the timing of when these occur in your home. This can make for a smoother transition over all.

Keep up your consistent response. Sometimes we may implement a plan to find that our little one still wakes up earlier than we would like. This is a good time to start using your consistent response you’ve used to coach your child while getting sleep in place in your home. Some families may choose to shuffle their little one in the morning until it is their correct wake time.

Be available. Make time to connect with your little one during the transition. It never fails that children will need a little more TLC from mom or dad when change occurs because they can feel a little disorganized. They often know something is different without knowing what it is.

Practice patience with your child and yourself. Change is hard for everyone so be mindful of your responses during this transition.
Shift Your Mindset: Remind yourself, "this too shall pass." It's natural to feel frustrated with the disruptions caused by Daylight Saving Time, but remember, it's only temporary. Embrace change as a constant in your parenting journey, and lean on your parenting tools to manage the stress, anxiety, or frustration that may arise. I personally use the mantra "Breathe LOVE" to reframe challenging moments. What mantra or tool helps you through tough transitions? Find more support in the free guide here.

No fuss- Just do it- cold turkey Daylight Saving Time approach

Some families may choose a no fuss, just do it, cold turkey approach and adjust to the new time on Sunday. Be sure to throw in a bonus nap if you have a little one so they don’t get overtired by bedtime. On Sunday and thereafter, adjust naps, meals and your routine to the Standard Time. This tends to be the approach most families use, and it works well for some families and everyone’s personality types.

Gradual Approach for Daylight Saving Time

For children under 5 with typical bedtimes between 6:30 and 8:00 p.m., you can gradually shift their circadian rhythm by adjusting bedtime 10-15 minutes earlier over a 4-6 day period before the time change. Since every child’s temperament varies, making small, incremental changes helps ease the transition and boosts consistency.

The chart uses 7pm as a typical bedtime. Use the chart as a guide, adjusting bedtime, meals, and naps based on your child’s current schedule. This step-by-step approach makes the shift smoother for everyone in the household.

Little by Little

Rest assured, within a week or so, your family’s sleep routines will settle back into place, and everyone will be back on track!

If you’ve tried these tips and are still struggling with sleep habits, I’m here to help. Click here to schedule a time for us to talk and find personalized solutions that work for your family.

Additional Reminders this Season: Fan Direction & Safety Checks

As you prepare for the time change, it’s also a great time to tackle a couple of important home maintenance tasks. Remember to switch the direction of your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise, which helps circulate warm air during cooler months. It’s also the perfect time to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they’re functioning properly. These small steps can make your home more comfortable and safe as you transition into the new season!