The Dreaded Fall Time Change
The leaves are changing, days are getting shorter and it’s time to change our clocks!
For most of the United States and Canada, it is time to change our clocks backward one hour on November 6, 2022 at 2:00am to end Daylight Savings Time. It’s most definitely one of the most dreaded times of year for parents.
In the Fall we gain an hour of sleep because the clocks turn backwards….. wellllll… that’s unless you have a baby! In this case, your child may wake up normal time which is a whole hour earlier than we are used to! The old 6:00am becomes the new 5:00am. YAY!
Every kid has a different tolerance of time in their sleep space. Kids that are independent sleepers may have an easier time hanging out in their sleep space and might allow for a quicker shift. If your child tends to be sensitive to timing or has a harder time being in their sleep space — a more gradual method might be a better fit for your family!
There are a few ways to approach this time change:
A: Do nothing (this is my personal favorite approach).
B: Gradually shift your timing so that when the time change happens your child’s schedule is aligned with the “new” time .
Do Nothing:
Simply put, you literally do nothing. You change your clocks before you go to bed and you get your child at their normal out of crib time knowing that they will more than likely be awake already and you may need to give everyone grace as everyone’s body adjusts to the new time. Even as an adult, I always need a day or two to adjust to the time change twice a year! You would do sleep times, meal times, everything at the “new” times. This is the method I primarily have done for my family. As a daycare family, with a child with solid independent sleep habits - this is the option that worked best for us!
Gradual Shift:
There are a few options when it comes to gradually shifting the schedule. A few of the options occur BEFORE the time change happens. If you are a family that HAS to have a schedule (ie: working parents that may not have flexibility), this option may not be attainable. You can also apply the similar gradual shift AFTER by allowing them to wake at the “old” time but working towards the “new” time once the change has happened.
Gradual Shift 1:
This option would require you to shift everything in your child’s day 15 minutes every two days leading up to the time change start one week prior to the time change!
Example:
Normal schedule: 7:00am OOC/12:00pm Nap/7:30pm BED
Sunday, October 30th & Monday, October 31 — 7:15am OOC/12:15pm NAP/ 7:45pm BED
Tuesday, November 1 & Wednesday, November 2 —- 7:30am OOC./12:30pm NAP/8:00pm BED
Thursday, November 3 & Friday, November 4 —- 7:45am OOC/12:45pm Nap/8:15pm BED
Saturday, November 5 —- 8:00am OOC/1:00pm NAP/8:30pm BED
Sunday, November 6 [the time changed overnight] you are back where you started: 7:00am OOC/12:00pm Nap/7:30pm BED
Gradual Shift 2:
This option would be more of a quick shift. With this option, you will shift your child’s OOC time (and everything else) a full 30 minutes the day before the change and another 30 minutes to get you where you want to me the following day!
Example: Normal schedule: 7:00am OOC/12:00pm NAP/7:30pm BED
Saturday, November 5 —- 7:30am OOC/12:30pm NAP/8:00pm BED
Sunday, November 6 —— You shift 30 minutes again, but that 30 minute shift will land you with the “new” normal schedule.
“Old time” 8:00am OOC/1:00am NAP/8:30om BED = “New time” 7:00am OOC/12:00pm NAP/7:30pm BED
Gradual Shift 3:
Rather than shift things BEFORE the time change - you can manage timing AFTER the fact. This might be the most practical for families that HAVE to keep to a consistent schedule for work, etc. Essentially, you will do something similar as the first Gradual Shift option, except you’ll start your day at the old time, and work your way back to the desired new time using 15 minute shifts every other day. f you’re out of crib is on the early side, this option may not be very appealing since the old 6:00 AM would be the new 5:00 AM — eeeeeek!
Example: Normal schedule: 7:00am OOC/12:00pm NAP/7:30pm BED
Sunday, November 6 & Monday, November 7 — 6:00am OOC, 11:00pm NAP, 6:30pm BED
Tuesday November 8 & Wednesday, November 9 — 6:15am OOC, 11:15pm NAP, 6:45pm BED
Thursday, November 10 & Friday, November 11— 6:30am OOC, 11:30pm NAP, 7:00pm BED
Saturday, November12 & Sunday November, 13 6:45am OOC, 11:45pm NAP, 7:15pm BED
Monday, November 14 7:00am OOC, 12:00pm NAP, 7:30pm BED [Back to normal]
Gradual Shift 4:
This is a second option that would shift schedule after the time change happens is a bit of a quick shift after the time change occurs.
Essentially, you do not change the clocks before bed. You get them up at their “old” normal time. HOWEVER, you try and push them a bit when it comes to their nap time; try and focus on sleepy cues IF they show them. This method may not be ideal for children that don’t show solid cues or that are super sensitive to timing. While combining cues you can combine this approach with option 4 to get timing back on track!
Reminders:
Remember that babies cannot tell time. Your sleep routines will be so important during this temporary phase. Be consistent with your routines!
Do an environment check of your child’s room to ensure no light is sneaking in during the early morning hours!
Try to get natural sunlight and try to avoid extra screen time in the evenings.
If you’re utilizing a gradual shift method and you notice sleep and/or early wakings are getting worse - you might pause for a day or two and shift a bit slower! I would try to avoid going backwards.
Generally, it should take one day per one hour of change, so if the clock is only changing an hour. This is typically a short term phase of weirdness - if it persists - you want to look at the big picture to see if there are other aspects of your routines or habits that might be contributing to your ongoing struggles.
You might even find that some children self regulate and start waking up a little later naturally a week or two prior to the time change!
If you’re currently struggling with sleep issues, it’s helpful to address these before the time change happens!
