Did you hear that?
That was the audible groan of exasperated parents everywhere who just remembered the clocks are set to go forward this weekend.
There’s no denying the clock change messes with children’s sleep patterns. But, as parents, is there anything we can actually do to prepare them for the switch? Or should we just accept we’re doomed to have a few disrupted nights and ride it out?
We spoke to Sophie Pickles, a parenting and early years expert for Munchkin, about what – if anything – parents can be doing to ease the transition this weekend. And refreshingly, you might not have to make many changes at all...
First up, when do the clocks change?
In the UK, the clocks go forward one hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March (this year it’s March 27).
Once the clocks have changed we’ll be in British Summer Time (BST). This will mean there’s more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings.
The long and short of it is that while we’ll be gaining more daylight, we’ll also be losing an hour’s sleep. Sob.
Dr Hana Patel, sleep expert at Time4Sleep, explained to HuffPost UK that when the clocks change, our circadian rhythm – the internal body clock that helps regulate our hormones and temperature – has to “re-calibrate”. And it can take a few days for this to happen.
Understandably then, the switch can impact children’s sleep schedules too.
How does this impact kids?
Parenting expert Sophie Pickles considers the spring clock change to be worse than the autumn one because the lighter mornings and evenings “can really contribute to more difficult bedtimes and earlier morning wake ups”.
That said, she suggests parents don’t have to do an awful lot ahead of the clock change to prepare their kids for the shift.
“It may sound counterintuitive, but actually doing nothing can be the very best thing you can do when it comes to dealing with a clock change,” she tells HuffPost UK.
Some people will creep bedtime incrementally earlier each day ahead of the change, or try to work out when to schedule a new bedtime, but Pickles insists it’s not necessary.
“Children are very adaptable and most sail through a clock change without a hiccup,” she says.
Make sure you wear them out on Saturday
The key to helping your child sail through the change is keeping the evening routine as similar as you can, as well as the timing of ‘lights out’ to ensure less disruption at bedtime and an easier send off to sleep, says Pickles.
On the Saturday before the clocks change, she also recommends making sure you schedule an active afternoon so your children are tired enough to go to sleep at what would be their normal bedtime.
“Don’t be tempted to keep them up for an hour longer than usual in hopes of a lie-in on Sunday,” she warns, “unfortunately it rarely works and all that will result in is an overtired child who has had less sleep than they usually need.”
For parents of slightly older children (aged eight and over), her advice is to follow their lead and allow them to decide when they are tired.
“Talk to them about what the clock change means and what will happen. You can even task them with changing the clocks on Sunday morning,” she adds.
If you’re struggling with bedtime
If bedtime is becoming a bit of a battleground – or it takes a turn for the worse after the clocks change – Pickles recommends trying the following:
- No screens, especially in the hour before bedtime. Televisions, computer screens, phones and tablets emit blue light which stimulates your child’s brain and suppresses their melatonin levels – the hormone that makes them feel sleepy.
- Read a book or play together instead. Keeping the environment as calm as you possible is key here. Reading before bedtime is not only a relaxing activity but increases language and comprehension skills and promotes mental wellbeing.
- Move bedtime earlier. It’s very common for children to get a burst of energy when they are tired, says Pickles, which may lead parents to believe their child isn’t ready to go to bed – when in fact the exact opposite is true. Keeping them up even later will mean they become overtired and have difficulty falling asleep, may wake more frequently during the night and will often rise earlier in the morning. If you think this may be the case for your child, try moving their bedtime 30 minutes to one hour earlier, keep it consistent for at least two weeks and see if you notice a change in behaviour.
- Set boundaries. Bedtime is a common time for children to challenge rules or refuse to do what you’ve asked. It is at this time when they are really tired that they need to feel safe and secure. You can do this by setting boundaries so they know there are clear rules around bedtime. Be kind but firm as you reinforce the routine.
If you’re struggling with an early riser
Much to the dismay of adults everywhere, it’s actually very normal for kids to wake up early. But if your child is waking up regularly before 6am, you might want to make a few changes, such as:
- Make sure their room is dark enough. Create a dark sleep environment with a blackout blind. This will help to prevent dawn wakings as mornings become lighter and make bedtimes easier during the lighter evenings. The darkness helps to promote melatonin production – a hormone needed to help us fall asleep – as well as minimising distractions, says Pickles. If you are on a budget, you could use a portable blind or even tin foil to cover bedroom windows, she adds. But remember to remove the foil during the day so it doesn’t cause your glass to overheat and crack.
- Make sure they aren’t hungry. If your child is waking early and asking for breakfast or raiding the cupboards, it’s a sure sign that their hunger is probably what is waking them. If this is the case, try giving a light supper before bed or moving the evening meal later. Scrambled eggs make a quick and easy supper and the eggs are rich in melatonin – the hormone we need for sleep.
- Check the room temperature. 4am is the coolest part of the night and the temperature naturally drops around this time. If your child is waking around this time, it could be because they are too cold. Make sure they have an extra blanket to hand if they need it, or if they are a little younger, cover them up when you go to sleep to prevent them waking a few hours later.
- Embrace it. Some children have a lower ‘sleep need’ than others, meaning that even siblings of the same age might need different amounts of sleep, says Pickles. If you feel that embracing the early rising is something you are comfortable with, set a few simple rules to keep everyone safe and happy (eg. read or play quietly, no going downstairs, don’t disturb siblings) and let go of the worry.