Are you ready for the time change?

I’ll be honest, I completely forgot about it until last week. It snuck up on me. This year it’s November 1st so we get Halloween and a time change all in one weekend!

I hate the time change, even when it’s the fall and in theory we get an extra hour of sleep. But let’s be real – parents never actually get that extra hour of sleep!

I wish we could just pick one time for the whole year!

Like it or not though standard time is coming. Here are some ideas to help you through the transition.

Start adjusting their sleep, wake, and nap time ahead of standard time.

In the week leading up to standard time you can adjust their sleep, wake, and nap times by 10-15 minutes every couple days. This way their body adjusts slowly to the shift in rhythm. Even if you haven’t made the 1-hour adjustment by the time the clocks fall back, their routine will be closer to the new times.

You can also shift their schedule more quickly by adjusting times daily over a shorter period of time or take the couple days on either side of the time change to adjust their routines.

Remember that hunger cues are tied to the body’s internal clock.

If you have an older baby or toddler who thrives on set eating times, you may wish to shift those slowly along with the sleep times. This is much more likely to apply to solid foods rather than nursing or bottles.

You don’t have to do anything.

While some people really want to shift their baby’s routines, you don’t have too. I’ll let you in on a secret – we generally just wing it in our house. For me, it’s less stressful to adjust in the week after the time change then try and strategically adjust things ahead of time, and that’s ok! My family focuses on the next few tips I have 😊

Go back to the basics to support a good circadian rhythm.

Remember that natural sunlight during the day and dark at night cue your body for sleep and wakefulness. Use these to your advantage. Start your day with bright light or natural sunlight. Get outside during the day a lot for some fun outdoor play and plenty of natural light exposure. Dim the lights an hour ahead of bedtime to help cue the body for sleep. Artificial lights in the evening can suppress your body’s melatonin production, a key hormone in sleep regulation.

Take care of yourself during this time.

Be patient with yourself and your little one. Time changes are hard. Time changes with cranky kids off their normal routines are double hard. Take deep breaths. Be empathetic and compassionate to both your kid and you. Try not to over commit yourself in the week after the time change so that you can slow down and take care of yourself if you are a bit more tired than usual.

Good luck!

And if you are having trouble with sleep this fall, reach out and let’s talk about how I can help:

https://intuitiveparentingdc.com/getting-started