Daylight Savings & Your Child’s Sleep: How to Prepare for the Clock Change
Daylight savings starts on Sunday 4 October 2026!
YAY for longer days, warmer evenings and more time outside… but when it comes to our little ones, daylight savings can sometimes mean a few disrupted nights and early mornings.
When the clocks move forward by one hour, a 7pm bedtime suddenly becomes 8pm according to the clock.
And while that might sound like a dream for teenagers, it can be a very different story for babies and young children!
The good news? You don't have to simply wait and see what happens.
There are two ways you can tackle daylight savings: Proactive or Reactive.
Option 1: Be proactive
If your child is sensitive to changes in their routine, you can start adjusting their schedule before daylight savings begins.
The idea is to gradually move their wake time, naps, feeds, meals and bedtime 15 minutes earlier every couple of days.
For example, if your child usually follows a 7am–7pm routine, you would gradually bring this earlier first by 15 minutes, then another 15 minutes, and so on.
By the time Sunday arrives and the clocks move forward, their body clock has already shifted towards the new time.
When the clocks change, you can then return to your child's usual 7am wake and 7pm bedtime on the new clock.
The benefit of this approach is that you're gradually adjusting their body clock rather than asking them to cope with the full one-hour change overnight.
Option 2: Be reactive
Don't want to change your child's routine before daylight savings?
That's okay too!
You can simply wait until the clocks change and then gradually adjust their schedule afterwards.
When the clocks move forward on Sunday, your child's body clock will still be working according to the old time.
So if your child normally wakes at 7am, they may initially wake at around 8am on the new clock. Similarly, their usual 7pm bedtime may feel like 8pm according to the new clock.
Rather than trying to make the full one-hour adjustment immediately, you can gradually move their wake time, naps, feeds, meals and bedtime 15 minutes earlier every couple of days.
For example, you might start with a 7:45pm bedtime, then move to 7:30pm, then 7:15pm, until you're back to your usual 7pm bedtime.
This gives their body clock time to gradually catch up with the new time.
Don't forget about the light!
One of the biggest challenges with daylight savings is that bedtime suddenly arrives while it's still light outside.
Our children's body clocks are influenced by external cues such as light, food and social interaction, so we can use these cues to help their bodies adjust to the new schedule.
Make their bedroom as dark as possible with good-quality blockout blinds or curtains. This is particularly important when you're asking your child to settle for the night while the sun is still shining.
Keep meals and feeds predictable so food continues to provide a familiar cue throughout the day.
White noise or quiet sleep music may also be helpful if increased household activity or early morning noises are disturbing your child's sleep.
And don't underestimate the power of a consistent bedtime routine. Familiar steps, connection and predictable cues can help your child's body recognise that the day is winding down, even when the sun hasn't quite got the memo!
So, which approach should you choose?
There isn't one right way to approach daylight savings.
You can gradually adjust your child's routine before the clocks change, or you can wait until daylight savings begins and adjust afterwards.
The important thing is to choose the approach that works best for your family and give your child's body clock a little time to adjust.
You may notice some temporary changes to bedtime, settling, naps or morning wake times and that's okay.
Don't panic if the first few days aren't perfect.
Your child's body clock doesn't change simply because the clock on the wall does. Give them time, keep things predictable and use those environmental cues to help their body adjust.
