Sleep experts recommend shifting bedtime, naps and meals in small steps, while using morning daylight to help children adapt after the clocks go back.
As the clocks go back and autumn mornings turn darker, many families are reminded that even a one-hour shift can unsettle sleep. According to RTL’s interview with sleep coach Susanne Willekes, the move to winter time often affects babies and young children most sharply because their body clocks respond more to light than to the clock on the wall. That can mean earlier waking, quicker tiredness and a temporary rise in hunger as the body adjusts to the new rhythm.
Willekes says the easiest way to soften the change is to phase in the new schedule gradually rather than waiting for the clock change and then making one abrupt leap. Her advice is to begin on the Sunday morning after the clocks go back and move bedtime, naps and meals forward by about 15 minutes each day. In practice, that means a child who usually goes to bed at 7pm might be put down at 6.15pm on Sunday, 6.30pm on Monday and 6.45pm on Tuesday, before settling into the new time by midweek.
That approach is broadly in line with guidance from children’s hospitals in the United States, which also recommend small, steady shifts rather than a full-hour change overnight. Dartmouth Health advises parents to adjust bedtime by 5 to 10 minutes a day, while Nationwide Children’s Hospital suggests 10 to 15 minutes and recommends applying the same logic to naps for babies and toddlers. Healthy Children, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ parent site, similarly says most children do best when routines are moved in small steps rather than all at once.
Light is a crucial part of the reset. Willekes recommends opening curtains straight away in the morning and getting outside, even if only for a short walk to school or round the block with a buggy. That advice matches guidance from Seattle Children’s and other paediatric sources, which say morning daylight helps reset the body’s internal clock. Limiting screens before bed and keeping the evening routine calm can also make it easier for children to settle.
Parents should not be alarmed if a child wakes unusually early in the first few days after the switch. Willekes says that before 6am is still essentially night for most small children and that the key is not to treat every early awakening as the start of the day. A brief extra nap, earlier bedtime or a little flexibility over meals may help prevent a tired child from becoming overtired, which can make sleep worse rather than better. Most children settle within three to five days, though some may take up to a week, and many families will feel the routine is back to normal by the end of that period.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
