This time of year is all about sweaters, family traditions, s’mores, the holidays and the end of Daylight Saving Time. As the founder of Sleep Wise Kids, I help to guide and support families with their sleep goals from newborns to 5 years old.
If you are a parent of a young child, then this is on top of your mind when fall rolls around. Daylight Saving Time ends on November 6th, and we fall back an hour on the clock. This means that it will become darker earlier at night and lighter earlier in the morning.
Here are five tips to rock the end of Daylight Saving Time:
Easing into the new adjusted time: Four days before the end of Daylight Saving Time we will want to adjust your child’s bedtime in 15 minute increments so that we can gradually move their internal clock. So if bedtime is at 8:00pm then it would go something like this: Night 1 bedtime will be 8:15, Night 2 will be 8:30, Night 3 will be 8:45 and Night 4 will be at 9:00. When Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday morning, your child will have adjusted over this period so that they will be on their regular schedule on the new time.
Black out shades: Daylight Saving Time ending means it will be brighter earlier in the morning which means we will want to keep the room as dark as possible to promote continuation of sleep. Melatonin, which regulates our brain to power down or up for the day, increases at night when it is dark outside and decreases as it become light outside. Black out shades help keep the room as dark as possible so that we can help the body transition to sleep at night and extend the time for wake up in the mornings.
Bedtime Routine: Having a bedtime routine that is consistent is a trigger for your child that it is night time and it is now time for the body to wind down for the evening. A great routine to follow (which we do at our house) is the four B’s of night time: bath, brush teeth, books and bed. No matter your family routine, be sure to keep it consistent so your child automatically knows it is time to wind down for bed.
Electronics: Electronics such as TV or video games emit light that tricks the brain into thinking it is still daytime. Limit exposure to electronics at least an hour before bedtime so that the body has time to wind down before bedtime.
Be Patient: The time change is harder on our children then us and they might be slightly cranky for a few days. Be patient and know that they will be right back to their sweet little selves in no time.
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Sleep Wise Kids works with families to guide and support them with their sleep concerns for infants all the way up to preschoolers in the Dallas Fort Worth Area. Consultant Mary Cantwell’s goal is to bring rest to your nest and help establish healthy sleep habits for your family.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
