The clocks are due to go forward this weekend, and while many people will be looking forward to the mental and physical benefits of brighter evenings, some parents are dreading the effects on their kid's bedtime.
In the winter, children generally tire easily with darker afternoons and evenings naturally indicating bedtime is approaching.
However, as the summer months arrive and darkness doesn't fall until between 9pm and 10pm (at the height of summer), kids can become restless and can fall out of their bedtime routine.
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A recent online survey in America indicated that 77 per cent of parents are concerned with the effect daylight saving will have on their child’s sleeping pattern and a whopping 59 per cent of parents dread the potential disruption to their baby’s schedule.
Lucy Wolfe, a Sleep Consultant, Co-creational Relationship Mentor, Post-Graduate Researcher (Ph.D.), Author of The Baby Sleep Solution and All About the Baby Sleep Solution, creator of 'Sleep Through', a natural bed and body sleep spray and relaxing rub, and a mum of four gave The Irish Mirror some top tips for keeping your child in a rhythm.
The clocks go forward on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 1am and Lucy Wolfe says:
Do your best to prepare your child for this transition by ensuring they are well-rested in the run-up to DST. Pay specific attention to daytime sleep and fill this need as much as possible
Make sure that you have blackout blinds and a sleep-friendly environment to help with going to sleep and to avoid unnecessary early rising although this is often a chance for routine early risers to improve their waketime
Option 1: Gradual Adjustment Approach
Ms. Wolfe explained: "Consider moving your child’s schedule earlier by 15 minutes every day from this Wednesday 22 March. Adjust meals and nap times and of course their morning wake-time accordingly so that by Sunday you will already be on the new time on the clock.
"For example, on Wednesday morning wake up 15 minutes earlier than normal or just don’t start the day before 6am and awake no later than 7.15am.
"Provide naps, meals, and feeds 15 minutes earlier all day along with a bedtime that is 15 minutes earlier than the day before.
"Repeat Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, waking earlier each day by 15 minutes or not starting the day before 6am so that on Saturday night your original bedtime has been adjusted one hour earlier than last week."
Based on the 7pm Bedtime
Wednesday bedtime: 6.45pm
Thursday: 6:30pm
Friday: 6:15pm
Sat 6pm = 7pm on Sunday "new time".
From Sunday morning onwards treat any waking before 6am "new time" as night-time and wake no later than 7:30am "new time."
Option 2: Splitting the Difference
"If you prefer: do nothing until the day of the change, make sure you either treat any wake before 6:30am "new time" (5:30am yesterday) as nighttime or wake your child by 7:30am "new time" (6:30am yesterday) that morning and then follow your daily routine, addressing meals, naps and bedtime as you always do but offering a level of flexibility, possibly splitting the difference between the old time and the new time.
"This means that your child is potentially going to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal, they may struggle as their inner clock may resist this, but within 3-7 days their system will adjust, and your regular timetable will run just fine.
"From Monday onwards treat any wake before 6am ‘new time’ as night-time and wake no later than 7:30am ‘new time’ thereafter."
Finally, Lucy Wolfe’s top five tips ahead of the time change are:
Bear in mind that we do not really want the time change to achieve anything, except that by the end of the week we are on the same time schedule that we have always been on prior to the spring forward
Attempting to get a time change to adjust bedtime later or create a later wake time, rarely has a positive result, often resulting in night-time activity and decreased nap durations by day
Remember to wake by 7:30am "new time" each day so that the internal body clock is not interrupted disrupting your nap and bedtime rhythm
Treat any disruptions with my stay and support approach if appropriate and be predictable, so that you don’t create any long-term sleep difficulties during this transition
If necessary, add an extra 10-15 minutes to your current bedtime routine to help with this transition
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