The End of Daylight Savings Time: Sleep Transition and Surviving It
The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling, normal football schedules are back… and it’s the end of daylight savings! The shorter days are a gentle reminder that the big time change is coming, and just like dog owners fear fireworks on the 4th of July, parents dread the time bump and it’s impact on their children’s sleep.
Daylights Savings Time (DST) ends on Sunday, November 7th. So most folks will “fall back” an hour and adjust their clocks before they go to bed on Saturday night.
Now let’s be honest. The time change actually makes us grumpy. There aren’t enough pumpkin spice lattes to wake us up when it’s still dark outside. But nothing throws parents more than when their little one now wakes at 5:30am instead of 6:30am (and did I mention how pitch black dark it is outside!)
Sleep Joy is here to provide two strategies to navigate the time change with kiddos: Pre DST (November 3-6) and Post DST (November 7-10)
4 Days of Transition to Survive the Hour Bump
It’s true. In 4 days or less your little ones will be right back on schedule. Simply follow either gradual transition plan, give yourself and your children some grace, and make that espresso a double! No matter which option you choose, remember to stay consistent and keep with your normal nap and bedtime routines. Children thrive on consistency. If you keep your routines the same, the familiar pre-sleep activity will cue their body and mind it’s time to start winding down.
OPTION 1: Pre DST (Nov 3-6)
This is the practice we use in my home with my three young kids (6 yr, 3.5 yr and 18 months).
Starting Wednesday, Nov. 3, start bumping your kid’s bedtime 15 minutes later. Keep gradually bumping their bedtime by another 15 minutes each day for four nights total. So if your little one goes to bed at 7pm: on Nov. 3 put them to bed at 7:15pm; Nov. 4 at 7:30pm; Nov. 5 at 7:45pm; Nov. 6 at 8pm. Then on Sunday, Nov 7 when the time has officially changed they can go to bed at their normal 7pm.
If your child takes a nap or multiple naps, you will do the same thing by bumping their normal nap time by 15 minutes a day over the 4 days.
I also advise to let your child sleep 10-15 minutes later in the morning over the 4-day transition (if your schedule allows it).
*If you have a baby under 12 months I would extend the preparation by a few days because a daily 15-minute bump may be too much for them. So here’s a recommended schedule for a baby (3-12 months):
Nov. 1 & 2- bump only 15 minutes later from original bedtime (naps too)
Nov. 3 & 4- bump a full 30 minutes later from original bedtime (naps too)
Nov. 5 & 6- bump a full 45 minutes later from original bedtime (naps too)
Then on November 7th put to bed at original bedtime (naps too)
Try to push morning wake ups by 15-30 minutes each morning if possible during the transition.
OPTION 2: POST DST (Nov 7-11)
1. Saturday, Nov 6- Night 1- Ignore it
What did she say?! Yep! Ignore it. Your best bet on Night 1 is to pretend Daylight Savings Time doesn’t exist. Don’t set your clocks back yet, and put your little one to bed at their normal time. I promise it will make for an easier transition throughout the week.
“But what if I just put them to bed an hour later- won’t that work?” Let’s talk about it. Sleep begets sleep. If you put your babe to bed an hour later they will go to sleep overtired and may have night wake-ups and will still wake up early. This is not the right plan for you or baby. Like I said, just ignore it night 1.
2. Sunday, Nov 7- Set clocks back after breakfast
Your little one will likely wake up “early” because the time has adjusted- manage expectations here. Coaxing them back to sleep on this first morning will only throw off their normal routine and rhythm; so get them up and have breakfast as normal.
Set the clocks back an hour after breakfast. Once you’ve moved the clocks, now we will adjust their schedule gradually over 3-4 days.
3. Sunday, Nov 7- Split the Difference
Once you’ve set the clocks back after breakfast, move naptimes and bedtime ahead by half an hour. If your little one’s bedtime was 7pm before DST, move it to 6:30pm (which also means you need to start your bedtime routine earlier…which means dinner may be earlier… so plan ahead!… maybe a Chick-Fil-A night. Wait, it’s Sunday- they’re closed… frozen pizza it is).
Do this for 4 days to help your child gradually adapt to the time change. Keep everything about your nap and bedtime routines the same, just bump the time.
*If your child is 12 months or younger, a half hour may be too much and they need smaller gradual adjustments throughout a 4-6 day period. Therefore, move naptime/bedtime ahead by 10-15 minutes over 4-6 days to make the full adjustment. For example, if their bedtime was 7pm before DST, on Sunday night their bedtime is 6:15pm; Monday night is 6:30pm and so on. If you believe your toddler would benefit from this gradual increase as well, go for it!
4. Thursday, Nov 11- Back to your regular program
By Thursday your child or children will have adjusted fully to the new time change. And guess what, Chick-Fil-A is open so go treat yoself!
*It may take more than 4 days for your kiddos to make the full transition. Be patient with yourself and your kid(s). Be ready for a few early mornings and some fussiness as everyone’s body clocks adjust. The key is to stay consistent and keep your normal nap and bedtime routines, and chances are you’ll all adapt by week’s end.
Sleep well!
Adrienne Beatty
Pediatric Sleep Consultant
Based out of Wilmington, North Carolina and serving sleep deprived parents all over the world to teach their newborns, babies and toddlers independent sleep skills to sleep through the night and take great naps too! Sleeping through the night is in sight!