It’s that time of year again — the clocks go back or forward, and for parents who’ve only just settled their baby or toddler into a good sleep routine, it can feel like a step backwards. If your little one is prone to waking early anyway, the time change can make things trickier still.
Paediatric sleep consultant Lucy Wolfe from Sleep Matters shares her tips on how the clocks changing affects your baby’s sleep schedule, and what you can do about it.
The time change affects grown-up sleep too, so you’re not alone if you’re dreading it. Lucy suggests three different approaches — pick whichever suits your child’s temperament best.
#1. Follow the Time
You and your child can immediately follow the new time once the clocks change. So if your baby usually wakes at 7am and goes to bed around 7pm, you simply carry on as normal from the day the clocks change — even though it might not feel like “7pm” to you yet.
Stick to the same schedule and put your child to bed when the clock says 7pm. For babies and toddlers who aren’t especially sensitive to being over-tired, or who generally go with the flow, this works well — most adjust within a few days and settle back into their usual rhythm.
#2. Slowly Change the Schedule
The second option is to gradually shift your child’s schedule over a few days in the run-up to the time change.
For example, a few days before the clocks change, start putting your child to bed 15 minutes later (or earlier, depending on the direction of the change) than usual, in the hope that they’ll wake 15 minutes later in the morning too — though this depends on their internal body clock, so it won’t always work exactly to plan.
Offer naps 15 minutes later (or earlier) as well. Keep nudging bedtime by another 15 minutes each night in the lead-up to the change, so that by the time it happens, you’re already back on your normal schedule.
One thing to watch for: this gradual approach can backfire for children who are sensitive to being overtired. It can lead to crankiness, earlier waking, night waking, or shorter naps — so it’s not the right fit for every child.
#3. Be Flexible
The third option is to stick to your normal schedule right up until the clocks change, and then be flexible, adjusting bedtime and naps as much as your child can comfortably handle.
Splitting the difference often works well here — so on the first night, bedtime might move to 7pm, having been 7:30pm the night before.
It May Take a Week to Adjust
Whichever approach you choose, give it time. It can take about a week, sometimes longer, for the body to properly adjust to a change in sleep timing. Expect things to be a little off during that settling-in period.
For older children, a “time to wake up” light can be a helpful visual cue for whether it’s a reasonable time to get up. For younger children, if you hear them stirring earlier than usual, it can help to hold off going in for a few minutes and give them a chance to settle themselves back to sleep.
Lucy Wolfe, CGSC, MIAPSC, is a paediatric sleep consultant and mum of four. She specialises in helping parents identify what’s affecting their child’s sleep, gently unlocking their child’s natural ability to sleep through the night and nap during the day — without leaving them to cry alone.
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Looking for more practical parenting ideas like this one? Browse our family life section for more tips, or save this article to come back to next time the clocks change.
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