Parents are usually operating on limited sleep with their children’s unstable sleeping patterns. We all know that sleep regression, teething, and stuffy noses due to the changing weather are not fun. To top that off, having to change the clocks twice a year can get frustrating for both the parents and children.
Studies suggest that it can take up to a week for our bodies to get used to the new time change. It is very common for children to struggle with their routine during this time and feel cranky and tired. However, the good news is that if we prepare for it in advance, the transition can turn out to be less tedious. Take a look at these tips to help you adjust kids to daylight savings time on November 6th, 2022.
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Gradually Push Your Child’s Dinner and Bedtime Ahead
Children can have difficulty sleeping if they are expected to change their bedtime suddenly. By pushing their bedtime ahead by 15 minutes every day, around four to five days before the actual daylight-saving time, parents can make this transition smoother. For example, if daylight-saving time is on Sunday, you can start preparing your child for it on Tuesday. If your child usually starts dinner at 6 pm and hits the bed by 7 pm, from Tuesday, you can begin dinner at 6.15 pm and bedtime by 7.15 pm. A fifteen-minute push to their schedule would not feel as harsh to their sleep schedule compared to a full hour. On the day of the daylight-saving time when the clock changes, your child’s sleep time would already be adjusted to the new time.
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Spend Some Time Out In The Sun
Getting sufficient exposure to the sun is known to help with jet lags and daylight-saving transition. Taking your children out to the park during the day would help their body clock adjust to the time change. Moreover, all the exercise outdoors will also help to release their energy and make falling asleep easier.
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Follow The Same Bedtime Rituals
When a child is about to go through a time change, the rest of their surroundings must remain familiar. So, following the bedtime routine of dinner, bath, storytime, and snuggles should remain in the same order as before. It will help the child’s body focus on the one change and make the adjustment easy.
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Keep The Lights Minimal at Home
To help your child’s body get the signal that bedtime is nearing, it would be helpful if you keep the curtains drawn at home as the evening approaches and keep the lights in the house to a minimum. Some kids find it difficult to believe it is time for bed when it’s bright outside. A calm ambiance with soothing white noise can help coax them to sleep.
While all these tips help adjust kids to daylight savings time, it is understandable if parents find it difficult to follow everything and prepare in advance. The process can seem overwhelming to some, however, try not to stress too much about it. Fortunately, children are adaptable to changes, and almost all kids eventually adjust to the transition. Here is hoping that all the children and parents get through it feeling well-rested and relaxed.
If you have sleep struggles, here are tips from a sleep consultant that may help you out and get back to some zzz’s
