# Daylight Saving Time and Baby Sleep: Fall Back, Spring Forward

- URL: https://mamadidyouknow.com/daylight-saving-time-baby-sleep/
- Publisher: Mama, did you know? (https://mamadidyouknow.com/)
- Author: Sarah Morgan (pen name of the editorial team)
- Published: 2026-10-30
- Evidence last checked: 2026-10-24

> Shift your baby's naps and bedtime 15 minutes earlier every day or two before the clocks spring forward, or split the difference after. Morning light helps.

**Short answer:** To get your baby through the spring clock change, shift naps, meals, and bedtime about 15 minutes earlier every day or two in the week before, so you've moved the full hour by the change. Or, simply split the difference: put your baby down 30 minutes "early" on the new clock for a few days, then move to the usual time. Bright morning light and a dark room in the evening help the body clock adjust. No study has looked at babies and daylight saving time, so this advice comes from circadian science and adult research; most babies settle within about a week.

Key takeaways

- **When it happens:** in the US, clocks spring forward at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March. In the UK and EU, it's the last Sunday in March. In 2027, that's March 14 in the US and March 28 in the UK.

- **Spring is the harder change:** research in adults and teens shows the spring shift disrupts sleep more than the autumn one.

- **Three ways to adjust:** shift gradually beforehand, split the difference afterwards, or switch straight over. All are reasonable.

- **Light is your tool:** morning daylight and a dim evening help reset the body clock.

- **No baby studies exist:** expect about a week of adjustment, and don't worry if it's a bit messy.

## How does daylight saving time affect baby sleep?

It shifts the clock by an hour while your baby's body clock stays where it was. When the clocks spring forward, a 7:00 p.m. bedtime feels like 6:00 p.m. to your baby, so they may not be sleepy yet. In the morning, a baby who used to wake at 6:00 a.m. will now wake at 7:00 a.m. on the clock, which some parents of early risers quite enjoy.

The body clock (circadian rhythm) adjusts by itself over several days, mostly in response to light. Babies develop a day-night rhythm over the first few months, and a small study of babies at 6 to 12 weeks found those who slept better at night were exposed to more light in the early afternoon. That's why daylight is the most useful tool you have.

Here's how the two changes compare:

| | Spring forward (March) | Fall back (October/November) | 
| Clock change | Lose an hour | Gain an hour | 
| Bedtime feels | An hour early; baby may not be tired | An hour late; baby may be overtired | 
| Wake-up on the clock | An hour later (6:00 becomes 7:00) | An hour earlier (6:00 becomes 5:00) | 
| Common issue | Taking longer to fall asleep; short naps | Early waking | 
| Helpful light | Bright morning light; dim evenings | Evening daylight; dark mornings until wake time | 
| Adjust schedule | Move earlier in steps | Move later in steps | 

## Is the spring clock change harder than fall?

For adults and teens, yes, and it's likely similar for little ones, though no one has studied babies directly. Most people find it easier to stay up later than to fall asleep earlier, which is what spring forward asks of us. A 2025 systematic review of 27 studies, in people aged 6 to 85, found the switch to daylight saving time was linked with shorter, poorer sleep and more sleepiness, especially in spring, but noted the studies were inconsistent in their methods.

In one small study of high school students, sleep dropped by an average of 32 minutes a night in the week after the spring change. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine considers the spring transition a public health risk in adults and recommends abolishing seasonal clock changes in favor of permanent standard time.

**What the research says:** we found no published study of baby or toddler sleep across a clock change. The advice below draws on what's known about how light sets the body clock and on studies in older children and adults. The popular "15 minutes a day" plan is a sensible, gentle approach, not a tested protocol, so if a different method suits your family, that's fine.

Morning daylight is one of the best tools for nudging a baby's body clock after the change.

## How do I prepare my baby for spring forward?

Pick one of these three approaches based on your baby's temperament and your week.

**Option 1: Shift gradually before the change.** This suits babies who are sensitive to schedule changes:

- **Start about 4 to 7 days before.** Move wake-up, naps, meals, and bedtime 15 minutes earlier. Wake-up anchors the day, so start there.

- **Repeat every day or two.** Shift another 15 minutes until you've moved a full hour. With 4 steps, you're done by Saturday night.

- **Change the clocks Saturday night.** On Sunday, your baby's routine lands on their usual times on the new clock.

- **Use light to help.** Open curtains and get outside in the morning; dim lights and close blinds in the hour before bed.

**Option 2: Split the difference afterwards.** For the first 3 or so days after the change, put your baby down 30 minutes earlier than their usual time on the new clock (a 7:00 p.m. bedtime becomes 6:30 p.m. on the clock, which feels like 5:30 p.m.). Then move to the usual time. Do the same with naps.

**Option 3: Just switch.** Many babies, especially easygoing sleepers and older toddlers, adapt within a few days if you simply follow the new clock. Expect a few nights of later sleep onset and possibly an earlier nap.

Whichever you choose, keep the bedtime routine identical. The same bath, book, and song signal "sleep is coming" even when the clock feels off. Our [toddler bedtime routine](/toddler-bedtime-routine/) post walks through building one, and [wake windows by age](/wake-windows-by-age/) can help you time naps during the transition.

Keeping the bedtime routine identical helps your baby recognize sleep time, even when the clock feels off.

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## What about the fall clock change?

Do the same thing in reverse. In autumn, clocks fall back an hour (the first Sunday in November in the US, and the last Sunday in October in the UK and EU). Your baby's usual 6:00 a.m. wake-up suddenly becomes 5:00 a.m. To soften this, shift naps, meals, and bedtime 15 minutes later every day or two in the week before, and keep the room dark until your target wake time.

Evening daylight helps here, so a late-afternoon walk is a good idea in the days after the change. If early waking hangs around for more than a week or two, our guide to [a baby waking at 5 a.m.](/baby-waking-at-5am/) covers other causes and fixes.

## What about naps during the clock change?

Shift them along with everything else. Naps are anchored to wake-up time, so if your baby wakes later on the new clock in spring, the first nap will naturally fall later too. If you're using the gradual method, move each nap by the same 15-minute steps as bedtime. If you're splitting the difference, offer naps about 30 minutes earlier than usual on the new clock for a few days.

Watch your baby's sleepy cues rather than the clock for the first few days. A slightly shorter nap, or a baby who takes longer to settle, is common while the body clock catches up. If naps go badly, an earlier bedtime that night is a simple fix; an overtired baby often finds it harder to settle.

## How long does it take a baby to adjust?

Usually a few days to about a week, though there's no infant research to give an exact number. In adolescents, one study found increased daytime sleepiness lasted until the third week after the spring change, so a little lingering grumpiness wouldn't be surprising. Things that can make adjusting take longer:

- a nap transition, teething, or illness happening the same week

- an overtired baby going into the change

- bright evening light in the bedroom as days get longer

- a weekend of travel or late outings right before or after

If you're traveling across time zones, the same principles apply on a bigger scale; see [toddler won't sleep on vacation](/toddler-wont-sleep-on-vacation/). For how much total sleep your baby needs, check our [baby sleep chart by age](/baby-sleep-chart-by-age/).

Room-darkening curtains are helpful as evenings get lighter, but window blind cords are a strangulation risk. Choose cordless window coverings where you can, keep any cords tied up well out of reach, and place the crib away from windows. As always, put your baby on their back to sleep in a crib with only a fitted sheet.

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: Should I wake my baby in the morning after the clocks change?**

If you want to keep the day on track, waking your baby at their usual time on the new clock helps anchor naps and bedtime. Letting them sleep in for a day or two is also fine if your schedule allows.

**Q: Does daylight saving time affect newborns?**

Very little. Newborns sleep around the clock and feed on demand, so there's no schedule to shift. Just keep days bright and nights dark to support their developing rhythm.

**Q: Should I shift feeds too?**

For babies on a predictable feeding routine, yes, shifting meals along with naps helps the whole day move together. Hunger cues still come first, especially for young babies.

**Q: Can I use melatonin to help my baby adjust?**

Don't give melatonin or any sleep aid to a baby or toddler without talking to your pediatrician. Light, routine, and a little patience are the safe tools here.

**Q: Which approach is best?**

There's no evidence that one works better than another for babies. The gradual shift is gentlest for sensitive sleepers; splitting the difference or switching straight over is simpler for busy weeks.

### Sources

- National Institute of Standards and Technology. Daylight Saving Time. [nist.gov](https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/popular-links/daylight-saving-time-dst)

- GOV.UK. When do the clocks change? [gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/when-do-the-clocks-change)

- Rishi MA, Ahmed O, Barrantes Perez JH, et al. (2020). Daylight saving time: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32844740/)

- Romigi A, Franco V, Scoditti E, et al. (2025). The effects of daylight saving time and clock time transitions on sleep and sleepiness: a systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41110263/)

- Medina D, Ebben M, Milrad S, et al. (2015). Adverse Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Adolescents' Sleep and Vigilance. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25979095/)

- Schneider AM, Randler C (2009). Daytime sleepiness during transition into daylight saving time in adolescents: Are owls higher at risk? Sleep Medicine. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19346161/)

- Harrison Y (2004). The relationship between daytime exposure to light and night-time sleep in 6-12-week-old infants. Journal of Sleep Research. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15560769/)

- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Make Baby's Room Safe: Parent Checklist. [healthychildren.org](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Make-Babys-Room-Safe.aspx)

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General information for parents, not medical advice. Source page: https://mamadidyouknow.com/daylight-saving-time-baby-sleep/