Clocks go forward

January 10, 2022

Daylight saving 27th March, helping your child’s sleep

What impact will the clock change have on your child’s sleep?

What can you do to help them move seamlessly into the new time zone?

The clocks spring forward on Sunday 27th March 2022 and we say goodbye to the cold dark winter evenings and welcome the longer brighter days we have ahead of us.

Losing an hour of sleep may not impact an adults sleep too much, but it can play havoc your child’s sleep patterns.

Your child may not seem ready for sleep at their normal bedtime and may struggle to fall asleep, laying awake restless and unhappy in bed. Then when the morning comes it’s hard to get them up and they seem groggy and not ready to start the day.

Our top tips to avoid bedtime battles and morning meltdowns when the clocks change 27th March…

For about 2 weeks leading up to the clock change start putting your child to bed 10 to 15 minutes earlier every 3 to 4 days.
You will need to move the start of their bedtime routine, nap times and just as importantly meal times too.
The aim is to advance your child’s body clock so they are able to fall asleep an hour earlier than before.
And just as importantly you will need to wake them up 10 to 15 minutes earlier in the morning.
In the run up to bed give your child clear consistent signals that bedtime is coming with a focused winding down routine.
Try including a short calming bath, a quiet story, a cuddle and then into their cot or bed.
Keep the bedroom darkened to help promote the sleep hormone melatonin and just use a small nightlight with a red or amber bulb to help prepare your child for bed.
As soon as you can in the morning get the family into daylight, this will help suppress the sleep hormone and wake your little one up.
If your child is already an early riser and 5.00 am is their usual wake up time, there is nothing you need to do to prepare other than enjoy a lie-in.

Then you can embrace the lighter mornings and longer days!

Written by Mandy Gurney Founder of Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic

March 18, 2018

Clocks go forward Spring 2018

How to avoid bedtime battles and morning meltdowns when the clocks go forward next weekend

We can say goodbye to the cold dark winter, “hurrah”, and even though we lose an hours sleep that night, the benefits of the longer brighter days ahead more than make up for it!
So what impact will this clock change have on our sleep and is there anything we can do in advance to help us move seamlessly into our new time zone?

We will of course not be ready for sleep at our normal bedtime and find it takes longer to get to sleep than usual. Then when the morning comes along we will be tried and groggy and not ready to get up and start the day for another whole hour.

Some people’s body clocks can make the change quickly, but for others it is not so easy.

So for those of us that want to be proactive this is what you can do to help:

Our top tips to avoid bedtime battles and morning meltdowns when the clocks change…

This week in the lead up to the clock change start putting your little ones to bed 15 minutes earlier. Do this slowly, shifting the time every other day. The aim is to move their body clocks so they are falling asleep an hour earlier than before. And just as importantly you will also need to wake your child 15 minutes earlier in the morning!
This will help to regulate their body clock and keep your plan on course.
But don’t just change the time you say goodnight to them, you will also need to move the start of their bedtime routine, nap times and just as importantly meal times. Eating and sleeping go hand in hand with regulating our circadian rhythms so it is vital you change meal times too.
Give clear consistent signals to your child that bedtime is coming with a focused winding down bedtime routine that includes a short bath, a quiet story, a cuddle and then into the cot. Keep the bedroom darkened to help produce the sleep hormone melatonin and just use a small nightlight to help you prepare your child for bed.
Light is the biggest influencing factor on our body clocks and directly impacts on the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, so as soon as you can in the morning get the family outside into the daylight, this will help suppress the sleep hormone and wake your little ones up.

But overall rejoice the fact that we’ve seen the back of winter for the next few months!!

March 1, 2017

Clocks Go Forward, Spring 2017

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Get ready for the clocks going forward in March

The clocks spring forward on 26th March 2017 and at last the official British Summer time begins. We can say goodbye to the cold dark winter. Although we lose an hour’s sleep the night the clocks change, the benefits of the longer brighter days ahead more than make up for it!

How will the clocks going forward impact on our sleep?

So what impact will this clock change have on our sleep and is there anything we can do in advance to help us move seamlessly into our new time zone? We will of course not be ready for sleep at our normal bedtime and lay in our beds for an hour unable to sleep. Then when the morning comes along we will be tried and groggy and not ready to get up and start the day for another whole hour. Some people’s body clocks can make the change quickly, but for others it is not so easy.

What do I need to do to prepare my children for the clock change?

Be proactive: For about 2 weeks leading up to 26th March start putting your little ones to bed 15 minutes earlier.

Don’t rush: Move your child’s bedtime slowly, shifting the time every 3 to 4 days. The aim is to move their body clocks so they are falling asleep an hour earlier than before.

Changes to bedtime: Once you start to move the start time of your child’s bedtime routine, this will also change nap times and most importantly meal times too.

Time to wake up: Don’t forget to adjust your child’s wake up time. Wake your child 15 minutes earlier in the morning. This will help to regulate their body clock and keep your plan on course.

Bedtime routine:

Give clear consistent signals to your child that bedtime is coming with a focused winding down bedtime routine that includes a short bath, a quiet story, a cuddle and then into bed.

Keep the bedroom darkened to help produce the sleep hormone melatonin and just use a small nightlight to help you prepare your child for bed.

Most of all, look forward to warmer weather, sunny days and lighter evenings.