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If your little one is like mine, Daylight Savings Time is less like a “spring forward” and more like a slow crawl. Around these annual demarcations, you may find your child’s sleep patterns disrupted. The result: sluggish days, irritable children, and sleep-resistant bedtimes. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), there are some things you can do to combat this.
Bring on the grumpiness!
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Nobody – not kids or parents – enjoys losing an hour of sleep, so a little backlash from your child is to be expected. The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard University found that there is a direct correlation between healthy amounts of sleep and good moods or mental states. Younger children will take longer to adjust to disrupted sleep patterns and will likely show more dramatic reactions as a result of their limited forms of communication. There’s no telling how long it will take to get your wee one’s sleeping schedule back on track but it shouldn’t take more than a couple weeks at most.
Stick to schedule
It may be tempting to let your kiddo sleep in or stay up later to accommodate the time change, but resist the urge! Put your child in bed and wake them up at the usual times. The NSF says that you and your child should avoid spending more time in bed than needed. This will help to reset your child’s “body clock.”
Cut the distractions
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When it comes to my daughter’s bedroom, I’m totally against televisions, computers, and even homework, most of the time. The bedroom is a place of rest and should be reserved for relaxing, sleep-inducing activities. Some bedtime rituals that work in my household? Warm baths, calming music, comfortable pillows, and a good (short) book. Avoid caffeine, playtime before bed, and naps after 4pm.
Stay away from the light
The NSF states that sunshine is one of the most important factors in regulating your “body clock.” To keep your child on a solid sleep schedule – even during Daylight Savings Time – I’d suggest investing in some darkening curtains. Babies and little kids are especially attuned to light (something to do with circadian rhythms…) and take it as a cue to start the day. To encourage sleeping in, even temporarily, try covering their windows with a garbage bags or aluminum foil.
The post Spring Forward! Helping Kids Adjust to Daylight Savings Time appeared first on Parenting Blog.
