Don’t forget we spring forward and turn the clocks ahead one hour on March 8th!
The beginning of Daylight Saving Time (DST, spring forward) is nearly upon us again. Many of us are rubbing our over-tired eyes and trying to remember if this is the “good” time change or the “evil” one. Well, it kind of depends. If you’re an adult, it’s the rough one because you’re going to lose an hour of sleep. But if you’re a parent, well, your own sleep may be a little screwy, but your kids may actually let you sleep in a temporarily!
Spring Forward, Fall Back
On Sunday, March 8, at 2:00 A.M., everyone in 48 of these United States (except Hawaii and Arizona) will set their clocks ahead one hour. Remember, spring forward, fall back. Assuming you and your kids will be snug in your beds at that hour, the bad news is that when you wake up Sunday morning, you will have already lost an hour of your day (blame Ben Franklin). The good news is that your kids will probably wake up an hour later than usual! Yay!
Then, it’s all fun and games until you get to that night. Try to put those same kids to bed at 7:00 P.M. (which was 6:00 P.M. yesterday) and they’re still going to be pretty wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. Bedtime may be a battle.
Make It Easier on the Whole Family
You have a few options to make this less painful. None of these are really scientifically right or wrong; just go with what feels like the best fit for your family.
Plan Ahead:
Start moving everyone’s sleep schedules incrementally earlier by 15 minutes or so for the four or five days leading up to the time change. That means bedtime, morning wake-up, and naps are all a smidge earlier each day. If you want to really make it seamless, move meals and snacks and anything else you can along with the sleep times. This is the most gradual and gentlest route, but it requires some control over your schedule.
Do Nothing:
You can just deal with the time change when it happens. Some babies and older children adjust more quickly than others, but regardless, you’ll all be through it in a matter of a few days. You just might have a bumpier ride than normal during the adjustment. You might want to avoid any extra naps for older children or yourself so you don’t risk difficulty falling asleep that night.
Play Catch-Up:
This is like option 1, but in reverse. Say you and baby normally get up at 7:00 A.M. That time is now called 8:00 A.M. If you have the luxury, get up at 7:45 A.M. that first morning, 7:30 A.M the next, and so on, until you’re back on your normal schedule. Do the same with bedtimes and naptimes, just like in option 1. The only downside is that if you have to deal with a job, school hours, or other non-negotiables, these may not be so patient with your catch-up method.
Extra Credit
Remember, doubling down on your basic healthy sleep routines can only help you here. That means no caffeine too close to bedtime, both for you and your child (don’t forget chocolate has caffeine!). Stopping screen-time two hours before bedtime is especially tough with older kids, but getting them away from that blue light keeps their bodies in sync with their circadian rhythms. Get plenty of exercise and sunlight during the daytime (wear your SPF!), especially in the morning. Finally, don’t forget the magic of blackout curtains to let you control the sunlight (remember it will be lighter in the morning and in the evening!) streaming in the room, and a white noise machine to drown out any other noise.
The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow
Mostly, try not to stress too much about daylight saving time. The anxiety will cause your body to release cortisol, the main purpose of which is to keep you awake and alert longer. And we all know our kiddos get stressed when we do. So, just take a deep breath and know you’ll be through this in a matter of days and back to your normal routine.
We are here to help if you want some more assitance with this time change! Consider joining our Spring Forward Mini-Course through Strong Sleep School, or contact us to schedule a private consultation.
Written by Sara Strong
Sara Strong is a Certified Child Sleep Consultant with Strong Little Sleepers. She is based out of Nashville, Tennessee, but she works with families all over the country to become well-rested and get the sleep they deserve.