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End of daylight savings. How to guide our children & ourselves through the clock change

Next Sunday 29th October the clocks will move back an hour in most of Europe and the UK. In the US it happens on 5th November.


Meaning we gain an hour!

I am not one to complain about an extra hour in bed, that’s for sure. This clock change is much easier to manage compared to losing an hour during spring daylight savings.



It can however be a little confusing when trying to juggle babies naps, school runs, and toddler bedtime battles, whilst aiming not to have an overtired baby by the evening. If the thought of a change in schedule and disrupting your little ones sleep is stressing you out, here’s what you can do!

There are two options to help our little ones and ourselves get through this forced mini jet lag period.

The first option is to slowly push bedtime back (make it later) by 15minutes for 4 nights leading up to the clock change.

Starting Wednesday night before the change the adjustment looks like this:


Night 1: if bedtime was 7pm, make it 7:15pm (this is 6:15pm in the new time)

Night 2: bedtime 7:30pm (6:30pm in new time)

Night 3: bedtime 7:45pm (6:45pm in new time)

Night 4: bedtime 8pm (7pm in new time)

Try to sleep as long as possible in the morning by keeping the room dark until desired wake up time. I know this is not always possible especially when needing to get to work or school on time...

*ponders maybe we should lobby for schools to start 15minutes later each day in the lead up to this clock change and the reserve in summer?!

If however these adjustments are creating bedtime battles and/or overtired babies in the evening;

the second option is to just go with the flow, use your instincts, watch for tired signs and have naps as a back up plan.

See below some sleep tips that can be applied to both manage the clock change and to any normal day to be honest:

  • Try to stay in dark room until desired wake up time in the new time. Don’t stress yourself or bub out with trying to resettle just let the lack of light gradually help the adjustment,

  • Expose yourself and your kids to light from the desired wake up time, may need to be artificial light at this time of year,

  • Eat healthily at normal times in the new time,

  • Move the body. Big moves in the morning, gentle moves by late afternoon,

  • No coffee/limited caffeine after 12pm for adults. Limiting alcohol helps even though it pains me to say it!

  • Keep nap routine as close to normal time as possible by using awake windows and adjusting by 15minutes each day as needed.

  • With older kids and adults not normally napping, use short naps as needed if overtired. No more than 30minutes for adults, and 1hour for older kids,

  • No screens after 5:30pm for kids, 9:30-10pm for adults. Did you know TV screens are less disruptive to sleep than iPads or phones.

  • Start wind down for bedtime one hour before desired time with dim lights and cool room.

  • BBBB Routine: Breast/Bottle, Bath, Book and Bed. Make sure feet are covered. Adults can skip the bottle! Maybe water and a caffeine free tea instead.

  • In the morning warm the room or put an extra blanket on, turn an indirect bright light on 15-20 minutes before the desired wake up time.


SIMPLE, CALM, CONSISTENT


If sleep is currently not going well or things don’t calm down 4 nights after the clock change the issue is likely caused by something other than circadian rhythm and scheduling.


Always here to help! Just shout; “I’m really tired and overwhelmed!” I’ll be there for a free chat or WhatsApp support, see below.

Link here: FREE CHAT See services and eBooks: SERVICES EBOOKS


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