Sleep SOS: Secrets to Mastering the Fall Time Change

Remember those days – before you had kids – when you looked forward to the end of Daylight Savings Time? All you could think about was getting that extra hour of sleep!

Now, though, if you have a baby, toddler, or a preschooler, you know that sleeping later doesn’t just ‘happen’! The clock may read 6:00 AM, but your child has their own internal clock – and that’s the one they listen to!

So, what options are there for helping shift your child's sleep an hour later to adjust for the time change?

Shifting Your Baby's Sleep Schedule

 IF:

·      Your child is capable of putting themselves to sleep,

·       You are a planner, and

·       You can dedicate some time a week before the end of DST…

Then here is an option!

In the Evening

 About a week before the end of DST,

• keep the lights bright in the evening, and

• put your child to bed 10–15 minutes later every 2-3 nights.

This works best if naps have been adequate and are shifted 10-15 minutes later every 2-3 days.

Your baby’s circadian rhythm will not shift without using bright lights in the evening, whether that is sunlight or indoor light. And since it’s getting dark outside quite early, you have to counter that darkness by keeping those house lights on during the evening. You can even add supplemental bright lighting – use an extra table lamp with a cool light bulb.

In the Morning

 As you shift your child's bedtime later,

• extend your child’s darkness exposure in the morning, and

• delay morning feedings, if applicable.

Your child will still wake up at the usual time. Remain in your child’s dark room for another hour, or as much of an hour as possible, with lights/screens off (that includes yours!). Slow down all actions, like changing a diaper and having some quiet playtime during this hour. Even if you have to leave the room, refrain from turning on lights or screens for the whole hour.

Delay morning feedings slowly (~10 minutes a day) and keep activity level low during the hour waiting period. This can be difficult if you have a busy work schedule or more than one child, so if you cannot manage a full hour, just do the best you can.

 Nap Support

If your baby is not a great napper, it might help to offer a little extra soothing or nap support to increase afternoon sleep.  Try running an errand in the late afternoon so that your child falls asleep in the car seat or stroller.

Important Take-Aways

• If your sleep shift went as planned, your baby will actually be going to bed 45–60 minutes later than usual on the night before the time change. On Sunday, after the time change, your child will be back to his/her usual sleep by the clock.

• Remember that your child's morning wake time will lag behind the gradual shift to a later bedtime. Think of it as ‘jet lag’ – it takes about 3 days for our bodies to adjust to a different time zone. That is, in effect, what your child is going through.

Shifting Your Toddler’s or Preschooler’s Sleep Schedule

Kids aged 3 and up are able to handle a larger shift of time, up to 30 minutes at once. You can start readjusting their sleep timing 2-4 days in advance of the time change using the above method.

If your child has a bedtime that’s too late

During the summer, you may have fallen into a later rhythm of sleep for your family. That’s normal. But if your child has had trouble shifting bedtime earlier, you’re in luck! You can use the time change to shift your child’s bedtime EARLIER by doing nothing at all! Easy!

Alternatives to Starting Early

You can use this same gradual approach after the time change if you are ok with a slightly early wake time for a few mornings. You can also do part of the shift before and part of the shift after the time change.

If morning wake time has not improved by Sunday (and you followed the recommendations to delay feeding and light cues each morning), some sleep training may be required.

If you need help, please contact me at Stargazer Sleep Consulting. There are multiple ways to implement better sleep and I have used them all!

Most of all, don’t overthink this! You don’t have to approach this like an engineer! Every child is different, and sometimes things just don’t play out like you would like. If your child is already waking early, waking during the night, in the midst of a sleep regression, unable to nap well, or if your child is sick, then you may not be able to follow these guidelines perfectly. Just do your best!