DST - Spring Forward

DST - Spring Forward

The adjustment to Daylight Standard time comes on Sunday, March 9th.

It’s almost time to spring forward! Days are getting longer, and time to pull out the shorts, swimsuits, and flip flops. Well, maybe not just yet. You can start thinking about your garden or getting your patio ready to BBQ? Are you looking for fun events in your area or activities or camps for your little ones?

Have you started thinking about the time change? I have a few pointers to help your family with a smooth transition forward to daylight savings time. If you are a stay-at-home parent, you can make the transition slow by pulling meals, naps, and BT back by 15 mins every 2-3 days a week prior. For older kiddos (2-3yo+) you can pull everything 30mins earlier and may not need to start the adjustment until Thursday or Friday before the time changes. For kiddos going to daycare/school, you will need to start the transition Friday night (3/7) before the time change (3/9). You can start with 15 mins earlier BT on Friday night, then Saturday morning start to pull back meals and naps by the 15/30 mins, then Saturday night do a 30 mins earlier BT. Sunday morning you can use the new daylight savings time to set meals and naps or if they are still adjusting, that is fine, you have the whole day and night before they head to daycare/school the next day to help them adjust. Just know that it may take up to a week for all our bodies to adjust to the new time.

Be patient and give them grace. Our circadian rhythm is mostly set by light so make sure you have some light, natural, if possible, first thing in the morning and in the afternoon. Routines and meals also help to set our circadian rhythm so continue with your set routines and meals. A few of my parents don’t want their kiddos to adjust as maybe their current BT is on the earlier side, and they want a later BT and wake up. You can try to keep them on their current schedule by not adjusting the time. Just remember if they now wake at 7 (instead of 6), you will need to focus on the awake window they used to have and stick with that. As an example, if they woke at 6, then first nap at 8, now they wake at 7am first nap should be 2hrs later at 9am. Make sure meals are the same adjustment. Some kiddos will naturally adjust back to their early wake up time, but with some good luck, maybe they will stay at the newer later time.

Good luck and remember to try to enjoy all the extra daylight.

Sleep Well!