Convincing kids—or even yourself—to stay awake until their usual bedtime on Sunday night can feel like a monumental task. However, keeping them in bed on Monday morning might prove to be an even greater challenge.
Sleep specialists have consistently criticized the transition to daylight saving time, which begins this Sunday. This seasonal shift disrupts our natural circadian rhythms, resulting in what can be described as “social jet lag.” It often leads to shorter sleep durations and has been associated with heightened risks of heart attacks, strokes, and traffic accidents.
And let’s not forget the impact on children—it can lead to what many refer to as “cranky kid syndrome.”
“Is anyone else feeling completely overwhelmed by the time change?” a stressed-out parent asked on Reddit. They mentioned that their kids “keep waking up at 4 or earlier.”
“We’re doing our best to keep them up later, but they get so cranky by 7:30. Can we just eliminate DST already?”
“I also wonder why we still observe the time change,” another user commented. “I woke up to my child standing next to me, fully dressed, an hour earlier than usual. Not cool.”
“My kids are waking up so early that it’s been a tough week. Sunday felt like the longest day ever,” shared another exhausted parent. “The 4-year-old crept into our room at 4:45, meaning she had been awake for at least 30 minutes. The baby woke up at 5, and the dogs were going wild because it was their feeding time, too.”
Drowsy Driving Accidents on the Rise
Adults are not immune to the challenges of “springing forward.” In fact, the consequences can be more severe than just a child’s bedtime tantrum.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and other advocates for year-round standard time emphasize that the risks of health and safety incidents, cardiovascular events, and workplace errors increase significantly in the days following the time change.
Drowsy driving is a major contributor to fatal accidents, with research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicating it may be underreported by as much as tenfold.
Additionally, a study from the University of Colorado Boulder found that the combination of lost sleep and darker morning commutes makes the days immediately after the time change particularly hazardous, with fatal crashes increasing by approximately 6 percent in the week following the switch to daylight saving time.
Moreover, AAA notes that there is a consensus among experts in traffic safety, sleep science, and public health that the effects of drowsy driving are often underestimated, as highlighted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Tips for a Smoother Transition
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that adjusting daily routines, known as “time cues,” such as mealtime and exercise schedules can greatly help. Getting outside in the morning sunlight—even though sunrise occurs an hour later during DST—can assist in resetting internal clocks. This practice is also effective in regulating sleep and alertness, according to the medical society.
Children’s internal clocks are less adaptable. Parents often describe the transition as a temporary ordeal, with kids exhibiting crankiness and irritability for anywhere from three to seven days after the abrupt one-hour shift.
Experts recommend gradually adjusting kids to daylight saving time by getting them to bed later in the days leading up to the switch.
If you find yourself facing Sunday night without a plan, consider keeping the kids up an additional 15 to 30 minutes, perhaps by engaging them in a fun game, advises Dr. Suzanne Beck, director of the Sleep Lab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Even if bedtime is slightly later, maintaining a consistent routine signals to the child’s brain that it’s time to wind down for sleep, regardless of the clock, according to the Sleep Lab.
Bedtime routines should be concise, ideally lasting 20 to 30 minutes, or up to 40 minutes if a bath is included. However, for some toddlers, a bath can be more stimulating than calming. Find activities that your child enjoys and finds soothing.
Here are some additional tips:
Consistency is key. A solid bedtime routine should begin around the same time and follow the same steps each night. Occasional shifts on weekends are acceptable, but a change of 30 to 45 minutes can complicate falling and staying asleep. Sleeping in on weekends can make it challenging to sleep at the appropriate time during the week.
Limit screen time before bed. Devices such as cellphones, tablets, computers, video games, and televisions should be turned off at least 30 minutes before bedtime. These gadgets can disrupt the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, potentially interfering with sleep cycles.
Establish healthy sleep habits by putting your child to bed while they are still awake. If feeding is part of the routine, do it earlier to avoid the baby falling asleep during feeding. Create consistent sleep associations that last throughout the night; items like mobiles or nightlights that turn off after 45 minutes are less effective unless the child can turn them back on.
Adjust lighting. Since evenings are brighter during DST, use blackout curtains to create a dark sleep environment, but open the curtains right away in the morning to expose kids to natural light.
Do you support the current practice of “springing forward” in March and “falling back” in November? Would you prefer daylight saving time or standard time to be the permanent time? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
