The thought of moving that clock forward already has you feeling groggy with that, "I really don't want to get out of bed".
The loss of sleep can be even tougher on your kids. Children actually need more sleep then adults and are even worse at tolerating sleep deprivation. The loss of just one hour can really affect a child's attention span, appetite, and overall mood.
At Glow Dreaming we don’t want to be the purveyors of doom and gloom, you have enough of that on the news each day, so we have put together a list of 5 steps you can take to minimise the impact of daylight savings.
Of course there is always your Glow Dreaming which sets visual, auditory and smell cues for your child that it’s sleep time. These are so ingrained in their routine that they overcome the change in sleep times.
The 5 steps to coping with the dreaded Daylight Savings.
1. Slowly Removing The Band-Aid Is Best
Don't just set the clock forward an hour one night and expect your child to get straight into sync. It takes some time to adapt to the change in sleep routine. To help adjust, try gradually shifting your child’s bedtime later in preparation for daylight saving time. For example, if the normal bedtime is 7pm now is the time to start making bedtime 15minutes earlier each night. Take the shock out of the change .
When daylight saving time just reverse the process and gradually start pushing out sleep time 15min a week before it ends.
2. Play God And Control The Light
You’ve probably all heard me go on and on and on about Melatonin. It’s the naturally produced hormone that helps regulate your body's internal circadian clock. It increases in the evening as it becomes dark, which helps induce sleep, and shuts down when it's light out, which can then increase wakefulness and alertness.
Daylight savings is the sworn enemy of Melatonin. As you can imagine that extra hour of light throws the natural cycle out of whack, and that can be particularly difficult for kids.
So, what can you do outside of using a Glow Dreaming to help manage melatonin?
Start by dimming the lights and closing the curtains in your child's bedroom. Try and get it as dark as possible. It’s not the perfect solution but without a Glow Dreaming it’s the best available.
Please enforce the no electronics rule at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. (According to The National Sleep Foundation, such devices can reduce sleep time, sleep quality, and daytime alertness because of the light exposure as well as the fact that they engage the brain right before bedtime.)
After wake up, get your child outside and into the light as much as possible. The weather is heating up so enjoy breakfast outside or just throw down a blanket and enjoy the sun.
3. Routine, Routine, Routine
The best way to cope with daylight saving’s is to enforce and try and stick to a bedtime routine. This will help your child cope with the external change in schedule. Routine is king for helping create powerful mental cues that it’s time for sleep. The obvious and well used routine is giving your child a warm bath, reading them a book, and snuggling together before lights out.
4. Get Enough Sleep NOW
In the days leading up to the dreaded daylight savings, make sure your child is getting as much quality sleep as they possibly can. Going into daylight saving time well-rested and with a good routine will greatly help your child. This will ensure they won't be cranky and overtired, which can make falling asleep even harder. Not to mention your days even more stressful.
5. Be a Boy Scout And Be Prepared
In the days following daylight saving’s, you’ll need to be a little more forgiving. Expect the odd extra tantrum and general out of sorts. The time change can cause such short-term changes in your child's mood, but your understanding and support will help them adjust a little better.
With all the focus on your kid's sleep, PLEASE don't forget to take care of yourself, too!
Many parents feel sluggish and cranky after the daylight saving time switch, so make sure you're getting the rest you need. It’s no easy task if you have a problem sleeper, but the worst thing possible is that you’re both a little crankier than normal.
Of course Glow Dreaming is a great tool for not only helping you day to day but dealing with Daylight Savings too. In combination with MSS Archangel, Glow Dreaming works to find the best solution for your needs focusing on your psychological, behavioural and physical environments, because we understand that sleep training is not one-size-fits-all
- Red LED light therapy - for stimulating melatonin
- Humidifier - easing breathing
- Pink Noise - blocking background noise, assists with the deep phases of sleep and cognitive functions.
- Medicinal grade aroma therapy - relaxing muscles and calms the mind