Clocks go back - Millpond

October 3, 2023

Clock Change Tips: Adjusting Your Child’s Sleep Schedule

How to Help Your Child Adjust to the End of Daylight Saving Time

At 2 a.m. on Sunday,October 27th, 2024, the clocks in the UK will go back one hour, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time. While many look forward to an extra hour of sleep, parents of young children might find this change a little more challenging. Just when you’ve finally got your little one sleeping until 6 a.m., the clock change can throw off their routine.

So, how can tired parents ensure they also get to enjoy that extra hour in bed? Here are some tried-and-tested strategies to help you manage your child’s body clock during the time change.

How to Help Your Child Adjust to the Clock Change

Tip 1: Gradually adjust bedtime ahead of the clock change

Start preparing your child’s body clock about 10 to 12 days before the clock changes. Shift their bedtime 15 minutes later every three nights. For example, if they normally go to bed at 7:30 p.m., move it to 7:45 p.m. After three days, shift it again to 8:00 p.m. Initially your child may still wake at the same time, but this gradual change will help their body adjust to the new time without sudden disruptions. Don’t forget to adjust naps, meals, and milk feeds along with bedtime.

Tip 2: Use natural light to your advantage

Natural light is one of the biggest influences on our circadian rhythm (body clock). Encourage your child to spend time outdoors, especially in the afternoon. Exposure to natural light will help them stay awake longer, making it easier to adjust to the new bedtime.

Tip 3: Create a calming bedtime wind-down

In the hour leading up to bedtime, it’s important to help your child wind down. Aim for quiet activities like reading a book or singing soft lullabies. Avoid screens during this time—research shows that the blue light from screens can delay melatonin production, making it harder for your child to fall asleep.

Tip 4: Stick to a consistent bedtime routine

Consistency is key for a smooth bedtime. Around 30 minutes before your child’s new bedtime, start a calming routine.

A suggested bedtime routine might include:

A warm bath: Keep it short (about 10 minutes), and avoid playtime to prevent overstimulation.
Dim the bedroom lights: Lower the lights in the room to stimulate melatonin production.
Quiet story time: Read one or two stories or sing a soft lullaby. Afterwards, cuddle your child, kiss them goodnight, and tuck them in with their favourite toy.
Time to sleep: Leave the room when they’re drowsy to encourage independent sleep. Ideally, they should fall asleep within 15 minutes.

Tip 5: Adjust meals and morning feeds gradually

Just as you adjust bedtime, it’s important to delay your child’s meals and morning milk feeds by 15 minutes every few days. This will prevent them from waking up early expecting food and help them adapt to the new schedule.

Tip 6: Set up a visual wake-up cue

To help your child understand when it’s time to wake up, try setting up a lamp on a timer in their bedroom. Set the light to turn on 15 minutes later than their current wake-up time, and explain that they should stay in bed until the light comes on. Praise them for staying in bed, and gradually adjust the light to come on later as bedtime shifts.

By taking these small, gradual steps, you can help make the transition to the end of daylight saving time smoother for both you and your child. Instead of dreading the clock change, you might just be able to enjoy that extra hour of rest!

September 9, 2020

How to prepare your child’s sleep for the clock change Sunday 25th October 2020

How will the clock change affect my child’s sleep?

If your child loves to wake up early and you’ve finally managed to persuade them to sleep in past 6.00am, you may be dreading the clock change on Sunday 25th October. Overnight you are back to having an early riser and facing the day at 5.30am again.

But worry not….help is at hand, Mandy Gurney, Founder of Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic, shares her top tips to minimise the disruption to sleep in your household. With a little advanced planning you can proactively prepare your child for the clock change.

Here’s how….

Tip 1:

Prepare your child’s body clock

About 10 to 12 days before the clock change start putting your child to bed 15 minutes later than usual. For example if their usual bedtime is 7.30pm, move this to 7.45pm.

After three nights of the new time, shift bedtime by another 15 minutes, so it is now 8.00pm.

Continue repeating this process until the bedtime has moved an hour later.

Initially your child may still wake at the same time in the morning, but by shifting their body clock slowly this way, you will find the morning will soon catch up.

Remember to shift naps, meal and milk times as well.

Tip 2:

Let the light in

Light has the biggest influence on our body clocks.

Encourage your child to play outside in the afternoon light, as this will help to keep them up that little bit later at bedtime.

Tip 3:

Wind down before bed

An hour before sleep, encourage your child to have a wind down time. Do something relaxing such as reading a book together before you start their bedtime routine.

However make sure you avoid any screens at this time, research has shown that bright light from these screens can interfere with the production of melatonin the sleep hormone.

Tip 4:

Your bedtime routine

About 30 minutes before your child goes to bed carry out the same series of steps every night. Having a regular routine that you follow each night will enable your child’s body to prepare for sleep as soon as you start this.

A warm bath-

Have a warm, relaxing bath lasting no longer than 10 minutes. A bath before bed should not be playtime as this could over stimulate your tired child. Go straight into the bedroom and get your child ready for bed.

Bedroom lights-

Dim the lights in the bedroom ready for your return from the bath, as this will help with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Story time-

Read one or two quiet stories or sing a gentle lullaby. Have a cuddle and kiss goodnight and tuck them in with their favourite soft toy.

Time to sleep-

Once they’re drowsy, leave the bedroom so that they learn to fall asleep independently. Your child should be asleep about 15 minutes later.

Tip 5:

Morning feeds and meals

It is best to delay your child’s milk and breakfast by 15 minutes every few days too, so they don’t wake early for food.

Tip 6:

Is it time to get up?

To help your child know when they can get up in the morning set up a lamp with a low watt bulb and plug this into a timer switch in their room.

Set the light to come on 15 minutes later than they would normally get up.

Explain that they must stay in bed until the light comes on in the morning, even if initially this means you have to stay in the room with them to enable this to happen.

If your child stays in bed until the light changes give them kisses and cuddles to show how pleased you are.

As you shift bedtime later, move the time on the switch later.

Don’t be tempted to move any quicker than this as your child may struggle to wait and it won’t work.

October 4, 2017

Coping with the clock change – 2017

On 2 am Sunday 29^th October the clocks go back by an hour. This thought will send many parents into a state of panic as they know the clock change will play havoc with their child’s bedtime routine and will also mean an even earlier start to their day!

Clock Change Tips: Adjusting Your Child’s Sleep Schedule

How to Help Your Child Adjust to the End of Daylight Saving Time