As a paediatric sleep consultant and a Mom I understand; and see the challenges parents face when it comes to busy schedules and maintaining a consistent sleep schedules for their little ones. With Halloween just around the corner and daylight saving time on the horizon, there is a unique opportunity to make this upcoming transition a little easier for YOU & your kids. In this blog post, I'll share how you can use Halloween night as a helpful starting point for the upcoming time change.
1. Embrace a Slightly Later Bedtime On Halloween, it's common for families to stay up a bit later while enjoying time at parties, trick-or-treating, or watching spooky movies. As a sleep consultant, I encourage you to embrace this opportunity. Allow your children to have a slightly later bedtime on Halloween night. This can make the transition to daylight saving time easier since the clock will "fall back" by an hour soon.
2. Gradual Adjustments In the days following Halloween, instead of going back to their regular bedtime, consider making gradual adjustments to their bedtime. Shift it by 15 minutes each night for a few nights. This allows your child's body clock to adapt more smoothly, reducing the chances of sleep major sleep disruptions following the time change.
3. Consistency Is Key Consistency in routine is vital. Regardless of the time, maintain a consistent bedtime routine to signal to your child that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Familiar rituals can help ease the transition and create a sense of security.
4. Optimize their Sleep Environment Take this opportunity to ensure your child's sleep environment is conducive to quality sleep. Ensure the room is dark and quiet, and the bedding is safe for their age and comfortable. Creating an ideal sleep environment can help your child settle into their new bedtime.
5. Be Patient Adjusting to a new sleep schedule can take some time, so be patient with your kiddos. If your child does experience disruptions in their sleep patterns, be understanding and provide comfort and reassurance. They will gradually adapt to the new routine.
With a little bit of prep, your family can enjoy the magic of Halloween and the extra hour of sleep that comes with the time change (but ew so dark in the mornings!)
As always, if you have specific sleep concerns or need personalized guidance, don't hesitate to reach out.
Happy Halloween and Sweet Dreams!
XO
Erin Clark