Daylight Savings Time is almost here (Sunday, November 6th at 2am), and while the upcoming fall back is less unpleasant than spring forward, I think most of us are looking forward to the day when we finally do away with the stressful (and not at all helpful) abomination that is DST.
(Note as of October 29, 2022: You might have heard that Daylight Savings Time was finally being eliminated – and while a bill making DST permanent did pass the Senate, it has not yet passed the House or been signed into law. So we are still stuck with the existing practices until further notice!)
Since it’s hard enough to remember what the new timing translates to when you’re not a tired parent of one (or more) littles, here’s some helpful tips:
- Here in Michigan, sunrise is currently around 8am and sunset is around 6pm
- After Daylight Savings Time ends (Sunday at 2am), sunrise will be around 7am and sunset around 5pm
- Practically speaking, it will be light out earlier in the morning and get dark earlier.
What does this mean for our kiddos?
- If you plan to keep them on the same schedule (same naptime and bedtime), this means we will be stretching the time between sunrise and naptime, and shrinking the time between naptime and sunset.
Let’s talk about how to make the transition easier for little ones (and the whole family!).
Two Approaches
There are two approaches you can take – intentionally shifting bedtime/naptime graaadually throughout the week, or letting it ride.
For families sticking to a consistent schedule around work, daycare, or other factors, the gradual approach can be helpful to try and mitigate stress and missed sleep. For families who have some flexibility around naptimes and bedtimes, letting it ride may be easier.
Gradual Approach
The gradual approach involves shifting naptime and bedtime by 10-15 minutes each day for a few days ahead of Daylight Savings Time.
If possible, it is recommended to move your entire daytime routine (meals, etc) to match for consistency.
It’s important to note that while this works beautifully for some kiddos, others don’t accept it as easily. A week is a short amount of time to make such a significant change to daily rhythms, so it is totally okay if it doesn’t go according to plan. Give it a try, but don’t stress if your child needs longer than a week to adjust.
Here’s a sample schedule for a child with a typical 12:00pm naptime and 7:30pm bedtime.
Sample toddler schedule:
- Monday: 12:00pm naptime, 7:30pm bedtime (usual schedule)
- Tuesday: 12:10pm naptime, 7:40pm bedtime
- Wednesday: 12:20pm naptime, 7:50pm bedtime
- Thursday: 12:30pm naptime, 8:00pm bedtime
- Friday: 12:40pm naptime, 8:10pm bedtime
- Saturday: 12:50pm naptime, 8:20pm bedtime
- Sunday (overnight time change): 12:00pm naptime (feels like 1:00), 7:30pm bedtime (feels like 8:30)
Babies under 12 months are likely to be even more sensitive to time changes and will benefit from a gradual, responsive approach.
The nice thing about fall back DST is that shifting by 10-15 minutes each day usually should not lead to significant crankiness/overtiredness. However, if you notice tired cues in your child and feel they are really ready to sleep, it’s okay to follow their lead even if it doesn’t match the plan!
If your kiddo is still waking up at their usual wakeup time despite going to bed a bit later, that’s okay. It may take several days (or more) for them to start waking up later.
Let it Ride/Cold Turkey/Do Nothing Approach
The “let it ride” approach (also known as going cold turkey) involves no advanced preparation, and assumes that the child’s body will catch up in due time after the DST transition.
It looks like this:
- Saturday: 12:00pm naptime, 7:30pm bedtime (usual schedule)
- Sunday (overnight time change): 12:00pm naptime (feels like 1:00), 7:30pm bedtime (feels like 8:30)
For the fall DST shift, this approach works just fine for most toddlers and older children. They may show signs of tiredness in the first few days following, but should adjust their schedule within a week or two. However, if your kiddo is having a hard time or crashing into naps or bedtime, you can always revert to a gradual approach after-the-fact and push them past their usual sleep time, but not all the way to a full hour beyond.
For babies younger than 12 months, pay attention to their tired cues and don’t hesitate to offer a nap or sleep if they show signs of needing rest.
Supporting the Transition
Whether you try to preempt the transition with a gradual shift or just let it ride, there are a number of ways you can work with your child’s biological rhythms to help things go more smoothly:
- Use light to shape their schedule:
- If your child is waking earlier in the morning than is ideal, keep the lights dim and the environment quiet. You can offer toys for independent play, read books, or do other low-key activities until “awake time” for the day.
- When you’re ready to encourage your child to be awake, use lots of bright light to signal to their body that it’s daytime!
- If you can, prioritize outside time in the morning and early afternoon – sunlight helps to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm
- Using red light in the evening can help signal to the body that it’s time to wind down (white/blue light inhibits melatonin production, making it harder to fall or stay asleep)
- If you’re not already using blackout blinds at night, ensuring a pitch-dark space at night is critical for facilitating optimal sleep.
- Minimize evening screen time
- To help a child be in tune with their circadian rhythm and be ready to wind down for sleep whenever you start bedtime, make sure to limit any screen time at least 2 hours before bed and 1 hour before a nap.
- Maximize daytime activity
- LOTS of activity and outside time, especially early in the day. Are there things you know help your child expel lots of energy and help them sleep extra well? A visit to the playground? Rough and tumble play? A visit with a friend? If you can try to prioritize one or more of these, it may help with the transition as well.
Be Gentle With Yourself
Remember that this is a big shift happening suddenly, and it can be hard on kids and adults alike. Be gentle with yourself, and with little ones who may have a hard time adjusting to the new timing.
- If you’re trying the gradual shift plan and it’s just not working, it’s okay to abandon ship. They WILL adjust eventually – it may just take some more time!
- Be prepared for big feelings. Kiddos who are really in tune to timing and rhythm may pick up on the changes and have a hard time at first. Watch out for overtiredness,
- If your kiddo is in daycare, send extra love and good vibes to their care providers. As a former early childhood educator, the days after DST are especially challenging with a whole room full of kiddos struggling to adapt to the new schedule!
- Prioritize your own rest and well-being – studies show that DST causes an increase in adult sleep disturbances, physical and mental health challenges, workplace injuries, and car accidents. Don’t hesitate to order carry-out, cancel plans to take a nap, or ask for help.
What other strategies have worked for you in adapting to DST?
Supported Sleep 