The Start of Daylight Savings Time: Sleep Transition for Springing Forward
Flowers in bloom, allergies running amuck, and sunnier weather inviting us for longer days in the yard… it’s the start of daylight savings!
Daylights Savings Time (DST) begins on Sunday, March 13th. So we will “spring forward” an hour and adjust our clocks before we go to bed on Saturday night.
You will wake Sunday morning and be elated that your little one slept till 7am (instead of 6am!) Don’t let the hour fool you… you still have to manage the transition of bedtime (and naps if you have a little one) to keep your child on track.
Sleep Joy is here to provide two strategies to navigate the time change with kiddos: Pre DST (March 9-12 ) and Post DST (March 13-16)
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 (March 9-12)
This is the practice we use in my home with my three young kids (6 yr, 3 yr and 22 months).
Starting Wednesday, March 9, start bumping your kid’s bedtime 15 minutes earlier. 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 March 9 put them to bed at 6:45pm; March 10 at 6:30pm; March 11 at 6:15pm; March 12 at 6pm. Then on Sunday, March 13 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):
March 9 & 10- bump only 15 minutes earlier from original bedtime (naps too)
March 11 & 12- bump a full 30 minutes later from original bedtime (naps too)
March 13 (Sunday)- put down around (with 15 mins) of baby’s normal nap times/bedtime
OPTION 2: POST DST (March 13-16)
1. Saturday, March 12- 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 forward 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 earlier- won’t that work?” Let’s talk about it. If you put your babe to bed an hour earlier they will likely not be ready for bed because their internal body clock hasn’t adjusted and they will fight you at bed and end up going to sleep at their normal bedtime anyway. This is not the right plan for you or your kiddo. Like I said, just ignore it night 1.
2. Sunday, March 13- Set clocks forward after breakfast
Your little one will likely wake up “later” because the time has adjusted- manage expectations here. When they get up, start your day as you normally would.
Set the clocks forward an hour after breakfast. Once you’ve moved the clocks, now we will adjust their schedule gradually over 4 days.
3. Sunday, March 13- Split the Difference
Once you’ve set the clocks forward after breakfast, move naptimes and bedtime back by half an hour. If your little one’s bedtime was 7pm before DST, move it to 7:30pm (which also means you need to start your bedtime routine a little later…which means dinner may be a little later… so plan ahead!
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 back 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 7:45pm; Monday night is 7:30pm and so on. If you believe your toddler would benefit from this gradual increase as well, go for it!
4. Thursday, March 17- Back to your regular program
By Thursday your child or children will have adjusted fully to the new time change.
*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 later 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
Founder/President, Sleep Joy
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!