Helping Your Kids Adjust to Daylight Savings

Maintaining a consistent sleep routine is important for parents, but daylight saving time can make this tricky, especially when bedtime arrives and the sun is still shining.

For those who’ve seen Disney's Frozen, Anna’s famous line, “The sky’s awake, so I’m awake, so we have to play!” is a familiar sentiment. Although Anna was referring to the Northern Lights, many children in New Zealand feel the same way when daylight saving time begins.

Experts agree that adapting to daylight saving time is a gradual process. Not only do kids lose an hour of sleep when the clocks move forward, but the extended daylight can also disrupt their melatonin production. Melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep, is triggered by darkness. If their bedroom isn’t dark enough, melatonin levels might drop, making it harder for children to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Here are some helpful tips to ease your kids into the adjustment:

• Use blackout blinds: Create a dark environment in their room to block out the evening light. You can even make DIY blackout blinds if needed.
• Stick to your routine: Maintain the usual bedtime rituals, like bath time, reading a story, and turning off the lights.
• Limit late playtime: It may be tempting to let them play outside after dinner, but try to hold off until their bodies are fully adjusted to the new schedule.
• Gradually shift bedtime: Start moving their bedtime earlier by 15 minutes each night in the week or two before daylight saving. This small, gradual change helps their bodies adjust more easily.
• Avoid overtiring them: Tired children may actually take longer to fall asleep, so resist the urge to “wear them out” with extra activity in hopes of getting them to sleep faster.

It may take a few nights for kids to fully adjust, but most children, like adults, will typically adapt within about a week. Patience and consistency are key!