Quote from Penny McCarthy on October 21, 2025, 9:34 am

With the clocks going back this Sunday (26th October), many parents will be bracing for disrupted sleep routines and overtired little ones. We've asked a couple of experts for helpful and practicle tips.

Yvonne Keal, senior product manager at Hillarys and mum of two, has spent over 20 years developing sleep-supporting products for families. She’s urging parents to take gentle steps now to help children adjust smoothly and avoid unnecessary sleep disruption.

5 Gentle Tips to Support Your Child’s Sleep

Start adjusting bedtime now
“Begin shifting bedtime by 10–15 minutes each night in the days leading up to the clock change,” says Yvonne. “It’s a gentle way to help children adapt without feeling overtired or confused.”
She also recommends adjusting mealtimes alongside sleep: “Eating a little earlier in the evening can help signal that bedtime is approaching and reinforce the new routine.”

Block out light – morning and evening
“Blackout blinds have made a huge difference in our house,” Yvonne explains. “They block out early evening light to help signal that it’s time to wind down – and they’re just as important in the morning when the clocks go back and we get a little more morning sunlight which can wake children too soon.

Ditch the screens before bed
“Avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime,” says Yvonne. “Blue light from devices can interfere with sleep hormones and make it harder for children to settle.”

Stick to a routine – and shift mealtimes too
“Keep wake-up and bedtimes consistent, even on weekends and during the October half term,” Yvonne advises. “Routine is key to helping children feel secure and sleep better.”

Use a sleep calculator to plan ahead
“The Kids Sleep Calculator is a brilliant tool,” says Yvonne. “Just enter your child’s age and preferred wake-up time, and it’ll suggest the best bedtime to ensure they get the sleep they need. It’s especially useful during seasonal transitions.”

Sleep experts at Love To Dream explain: “Babies thrive on routine, and even small changes to their schedule can throw them off. We often see babies waking an hour earlier than usual or taking longer to settle at night. Parents can feel frustrated and exhausted, especially in the first few nights, but it’s completely normal for sleep patterns to be unsettled after daylight saving.”

To help parents ease the transition, Love To Dream shares practical strategies:

• Keep their sleep space dark and calm: With the sun rising earlier, blackout blinds or curtains can help recreate a “nighttime” environment that signals rest.
• Stick to a consistent routine: Beyond a slight shift to bedtime, maintain your baby’s usual nap times and familiar settling techniques. Predictability helps babies feel secure as their body clock adjusts.
• Use gentle sleep cues: Soft music, white noise, or Love To Dream’s curated baby sleep playlist can provide calming signals that help babies wind down, even when the clock feels different.

“Consistency is key,” the experts add. “Even a small adjustment to your baby’s bedtime, combined with familiar cues like music, blackout blinds, or white noise, can help reset their internal clock and make the transition smoother. Parents should also remember that some night waking is normal during this period - patience and persistence pay off, and routines usually normalise within a few days.”

By planning ahead and using these strategies, parents can help their little ones, and themselves, adapt more comfortably to the end of daylight savings, avoiding the chaos of disrupted sleep.