Daylight savings time doesn’t have to be complicated
Every year, as daylight savings time approaches, I start seeing these charts. You know the ones– strict schedules telling you exactly how to shift your baby’s naps by fifteen minutes a day, starting the Tuesday before the clocks change. And every year, I have the same reaction:
For what? So that on Sunday your baby wakes up at 6:30 instead of 6:00? You shouldn’t have to stress that much over one hour of sleep.
The truth is that your baby isn’t losing sleep when we “fall back.” They’re still getting the same number of hours, it’s just that the clock says something different. The world keeps spinning, your baby keeps sleeping, and you keep drinking your morning coffee. Maybe an hour earlier, maybe an hour later, but usually there’s no crisis.
I know it might feel like you have to do something to smooth the transition, but my advice is to just keep your baby’s schedule steady.
Nap Schedules:
If your little one naps at 10 and 2, hold those times on the clock as best as you can, even if the day feels “off” at first.
If they wake up earlier, they might want to take a nap earlier, but try to stick to a clock-based schedule as closely as you can. You can try keeping them awake longer by doing some of their favorite activities, giving them an extra snack, or even taking a mid-day bath just for fun. Within a few days, your baby’s body will sync back up.
If your little one is having trouble with overtiredness or settling down for a nap during the those first few days, here are my tips:
Introduce a wind-down routine before nap time
Put away stimulating toys or screens, read a book together, put on a fresh diaper, or change into pajamas
Create a sleep conducive environment
Room Temperature: 68–72°F
White Noise mimics the sound in the womb, helps block household noise and becomes a helpful cue for sleep
Darkness: Use blackout curtains. Light is stimulating to the brain whereas darkness helps little brains slow down and find sleep.
Time feedings around naps
Hungry babies don’t sleep well. Try feeding 10–15 minutes before nap time, allowing time for burping and a short wind-down routine. A full belly might be the secret to a longer nap!
Are short naps normal? | How to make the 3 to 2 nap transition | How to sleep train for naps
Bedtime Schedules:
Early sunsets - If bedtime has been creeping later over the summer, daylight savings time can actually work in your favor. Let that earlier darkness be your cue to bring bedtime earlier.
Early sunrises - Babies and toddlers are very sensitive to light, and when the sun rises earlier, that brightness can cue early wakings. A little more darkness in the mornings helps everyone stay on track. I always recommend a quality set of blackout curtains and a white noise machine to block out any early light and noise from the outside world.
Other than that? Keep your bedtime routine the same. The same order of steps, the same calm tone, the same “this is where we rest” energy. Babies (and adults) thrive on rhythm, not perfection.
Up at 5:00 AM? How to ditch the early-morning wakings.
Lean into the change of season!
The time change is a great opportunity to look beyond the baby monitor and think about your whole family rhythm. How do you want this winter to feel? What small rituals will keep you grounded when it’s dark and chilly and you’ve forgotten what sunlight looks like at 5 p.m.?
The real challenge of daylight savings isn’t an hour on the clock, it’s the colder, darker, busier season that follows.
Maybe this is your season to join a book club. Maybe you sign up for a weekly dance class. Maybe you start a standing “wine night” at home, or invite a friend over each week for cards.
I think we forget that we need routines just as much as our kids do. Not strict schedules, but rhythms that help you feel like you as the seasons change.
Here in New York, the air has turned that perfect crisp where you can finally wear a sweater without overheating. I’m loving all the quiet parts of fall– holding a warm coffee, running into neighbors on the street, watching the trees along the park start to turn.
But honestly, I’m a total sun person. I love long beach days, sunny mornings, and open windows, so I have to consciously create habits that keep me energized when it gets dark too soon.
This year, I’ve decided Tuesday nights are sacred. Sometimes it’ll be a date night, sometimes dinner with a friend, sometimes a solo glass of wine at a new spot (next on my list is Elvis and Schmucks). Wednesdays, Peter and I will sneak out for dinner. Mondays are his swim class, Thursdays are my Kabbalah class, and I’m committing to two workouts a week. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s a rhythm that makes sense for this season.
You have permission to go with the flow…
So no, I don’t recommend an elaborate daylight savings time plan. I recommend keeping rooms conducive to sleep, keeping the nap schedule steady, and finding something small to look forward to in the darker months ahead.
Your baby will adjust. You will too. And if you’re lucky, that extra hour might even mean you finish your coffee while it’s still warm. ;)
For more free resources, you can browse my free sleep solutions studio.
To better sleep,
Ella