Sleep Pattern off Because of Time Change

Hi K.-

Try getting a black out shade for the windows in his room. This will keep it darker in the mornings so he won't wake so early. Good luck!

I hate the time change! Loved it before I had kids but now I hate it. I think we should just split the difference at 30 minutes and leave it the same year round!! Anyway, I remember when my kids were little I just had to leave them on the same schedule, even if it was a pain for me. For instance, my daughter used to sleep 8p-8a, and then we just switched from 7p to 7a for a while and gradually we got back to the old time. 7p is great, but for me, that 7a was early. Now, with 3 kiddos, it wasn't such a switch, but I remember with that first one, it kind of rocked my world. Maybe you could do an early lunch and put him down for a nap at 11 or 11:30 and see what happens? Sorry...it's no fun when a good sleeper has problems! Good luck.

I have a 17 month old too and we are having a similar problem. We still get him to bed at 7:00 but instead of waking up at 8:00 as usual, its more like 7:00. We leave him in there for a while too. I am just hoping he will soon get back on schedule or his new awake time might have to change to 7:00...ewww.

Sorry I dont have much advice just wanted to let you know that you certainly arent the only one.

Thanks for asking this. I've been having the same problem with my 13 month old twin girls.

Time changes are always hard, especially when the kids are on such a good routine! It will take a few weeks to adjust. I'm having a hard time, too! Keep trying to push back bedtime and naptime a little more each day, and hopefully he should adjust soon. I think part of the problem is it starts to get light around 6am, and gets dark earlier. If you can find some way to block the window (maybe a heavier blanket instead of the curtains) so the room stays dark longer in the mornings, that might help.

We're having the same issue. My 15mos old is an early riser anyway, so now, instead of 6:15, he's up at 5:15 everyday. My older son (4yrs) is having trouble too. He usually sleeps until 7:30, and is up at 6:30 each day. Basically, they are both on their normal schedule and really couldn't care less that we changed the clocks on them! lol.
Anyway, I'm thinking of trying dark curtains in my older sons room. I leave for work around 6am, and it dawned on me that his room was really bright at that time this morning.
When he was little, it took him about 2 weeks to adjust fully to time changes, we'd try about 15 minute increments each night. Now with 2 kids, we've been lazy about the increments, and they are both having trouble. But, since we've been trying for a week, I don't want to move backwards now. I'm hoping that once the days get a little shorter and its darker in the mornings again, their bodies will adjust. So, I guess I'm taking a wait and see approach. Good luck to you.

I had the same problem... well kinda still do. But my baby (10 months old) is not too fussy. What we do is let her go to sleep at 7, which would have been 8 before the time change(her normal bedtime) and it works fine. Unless she ends up not being that sleepy. Maybe you should try sticking to that and eventually he will adapt to the time change on his own. Even I am out of whack with the time change, because by 8 I am ready for bed! Hope this helps!

You may trying putting him to bed earlier. I think my daughter was going to bed around 7:00-7:30am at that age. Then we had to adjust to a little later time. Now she is 22 months now and is in bed between 7:45-8:00pm. It seems like the bed time is always having to be adjusted. I would try putting him to bed a little earlier. Also, know that they go through crazy phases. I remember dropping my daughter off at school at around 17 months; and telling the teachers that she woke up on the wrong side of the crib :) I even remember that she would fall asleep in her high chair during her am snack sometimes b/c she was so tired. Again, it was around 17 months or so. It was strange... maybe because she was growing?

Not sure when you are putting him down at night now... but you could try putting him down an hour or so earlier (like 6:30 or 7) and see if this helps him gain back some stamina for the next day so that maybe he'll make it to the later naptime and hopefull, eventually, the later bedtime (8 pm). If he does go to sleep for you earlier like that b/c he is so tired, give him a couple of days like that and then slowly try moving him back in 15 minute increments. But let him get better rested before you do that- HTH-

Hi!! I am going through this with my 15 month old also. What finally worked for us was to shorten his nap (just for a day) and then put him to bed an hour early. It sounds crazy, but it is what my pediatrician recommended and it worked!! One day we put him to bed at 6:45pm, and low and behold.... slept until 7:45am the next day! I was shocked that it worked!

Try it out... you never know... it might work for you!!

Hi K.,
We are having the same problem with our baby boy (18 mos). Where he used to go to bed at 8 pm and rise at 7 - 7:30 am, he now rises at 6 - 6:30 am!

It really does make sense though...they don't have alarm clocks that can be adjusted backward by one hour to tell them the new time to wake up! Their body clocks and the light each morning doesn't change just because we went from Daylight to Standard time!

So, I agree with Meg that the key (at first) is probably going to be putting our boys to bed earlier...something I'll try tonight. It's definitely done no good to put Connor to bed later...it's just kept him from getting as much sleep. And, I always go get him immediately, once he starts to cry in the morning. Yes, it may suck for me, but it's not his fault the time changed...he's actually the one sticking to his normal schedule...we're the ones who aren't.

I would imagine, once he's caught up on his sleep, that I could slowly try to work him later by 5 or 15 minutes at a time. I may try some of these black out curtains too, which others have recommended.

I think it will take some time and some trial and error on our parts.

You're not alone!
D.

I would keep him on the same schedule instead of making him stay up later that might over stimulate him. I would put him to bed at same time you always do except if he isn't up by a certain time after the afternoon nap would wake him so he will be tired to go to bed at night. I know it sucks but eventually he will adjust and start to sleep later.

My 19 month old son always wakes with the sun, so that would be WAY TOO EARLY now! I put a small, but dark colored blanket over his window starting Saturday night. He usually sleeps until 7:30 or 8am and he still is. I think the blanket on the window is the only thing that saved us.

Now, my 4 year old daughter is another story. She usually wakes at 8am and is now up by 7am, even with a blanket on her window.

I hope this helps a little - Good luck!

I am having the same problem with my 21 month old plus she shaved an hour off of her nap and wakes up cranky in the morning and from nap!! We were at the dr yesterday and she said that it takes time to adjust-- aaahhhh, I don't like the waiting, hang in there!

My 18 mo old has been thrown off, too, but we're adjusting slowly (although more slowly than I'd like!) Counterintuitively, you might try putting your son to bed EARLIER. Last night, my DD asked to go to bed at 6:15 (7 or 7:30 is her usual bedtime). The poor kid was clearly exhausted, so I gave her a quick bath and put her down at 6:30. This morning, she slept until 7--her usual, pre-time-change wake up time, instead of the 5:45 or 6 she has been doing for the past few days. My theory is that she got overtired, and so wasn't sleeping well. I'm hoping now she'll be back on track. GL!

Try changeing his time 15 min. a day or two then work up to 30, and then maybe by a couple weeks you can be back to the proper time for the time change. Trying to switch to an hour right off will be too hard on him and you.

Same issue here! And my 8 month old never slept very late in the first place. She was usually up around 6, so now it is 5! I'm doing my best to make her wait a little longer every day. Even if she is crying so much I have to go get her and bf her, I make her wait to eat her cereal until 7 to try to get her regulated again. I am also getting her heavy black-out lined draperies made for her room. Just keep trying, he'll adjust eventually. Best of luck to you.

I'm having similar issues with my 22 month old daughter. It will take time . . . likely several weeks. Just put him down for naps and bedtime at the normal times and evenually his morning wakeup will readjust. I think the morning wakeup is the trickiest part of time changes. My 13 year old daughter hasn't adjust yet either, and is very frustrated that she keeps waking up so early (5 a.m., which was 6 a.m. under daylight savings) even though she's going to bed at the normal time. So you see, it is not just the little ones who have issues!

Good luck!

K.,
Our three year old regularly goes to bed at 6:00 and sleeps through until 7:00. But he has almost given up naps. This is right about the time little ones transition their nap times. If he's tired at 10 put him down for a nap. Then when he's ready to go to bed at 6:00 put him to bed for the night. If you can put him down before he gets fussy then he'll wake up more refreshed. By the time they get to "fussy" they have released adrenaline in to their systems to try to keep them awake; if you can avoid that then they go down easier and wake up happier. So let his schedule re-regulate by following his sleep ques. And if you get a chance, pick up healthy sleep habits, happy child; here's the link from Amazon but you can get it anywhere. It will help in the months and years to come as you go through this many times. http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child/dp...

Its best to keep on working with him an put him to bed a little later right now. An play alot with him before bed time to where he will start getting worn out. An maybe it will start helping his schedule start changing. An you need to just leave him in his bed until 7:00 if thats the time you normally would get him out. Even if he is crying don't give in to him. An he will stop throwing fits so much. I know its not easy to do but try turn the radio on in his room or something that might help also.