Spring forward without losing sleep

On March 11th, we will turn our clocks forward one hour. For the most part, the time change comes as good news: Warmer weather is just around the corner. But the bad news is we lose an hour of sleep.

Unsurprisingly, most families have a hard time adjusting to the lost hour. It is common for many kids to experience sleep disruptions. Here are some helpful tips to make the transition a little smoother.

Adjusting to daylight savings time

Tips for children

Continue your child’s regular sleep, wake, and nap time schedule. Try not to make up for the lost hour by letting your child sleep in or go to bed later. It will only take your child longer to adjust to the time change. At first, your child may feel sleepy or irritable. This is normal. They will adjust within a day or two.

Since daylight savings time falls on a Sunday (a school night), it’s a good idea to make the adjustments a few days before. Make the changes slowly. Start by moving your child’s bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night. This way, by Sunday night, your child will feel on schedule.

Tips for parents

Similarly, give yourself a few days before to start adjusting to the time change. Try not to sleep more than usual.

If you need it, take a nap on Sunday afternoon. But try not to do this within a few hours of your normal bedtime. If you take a nap too close to your bedtime, you will have a hard time sleeping.

"Spring forward" is also a good time to change the batteries in your