do you and your babies struggle with fatigue following the daylight savings time change?

november 3rd, 2024 we adjust our clocks back one hour for the fall back daylight savings time.

here are 3 areas with fall back daylight savings time suggestions to help the “family fatigue” adjustment. remember, our bodies like routine. it takes about two weeks to learn to sleep and eat a little later. i am still ready for bed earlier and it’s been a week already! these ideas also work for pets.

the areas of light, food, and social interaction will affect the daylight savings time change adjustment and help improve family fatigue.

more light will help with family fatigue

get outside as much as possible

get outside in the morning,

 and in the afternoon.

get outside in the evening.

and underneath the moon.

reminds of the the song “skinamarink a dink a dink”.

surround yourself in natural light as much as possible during this transition. this helps the body make melatonin in preparation for a good night’s sleep.

during the day, when the weather is not agreeable to being outside, have the lights on in the room where you are and open the curtains wide to help your body’s circadian rhythm adjust quicker to daylight and dark.

i’m going to say it, “hang strands of little white lights to brighten rooms”. i have a living room and dining with lights hanging along the ceiling above the windows and it is very cheerful and adds an element of delight.

suggestions for babies and toddlers to avoid fatigue and adjust to the fall daylight savings time schedule:

in the morning:

keep that room dark for as long as possible.

don’t get them up right away in the morning. if possible, wait for about 10 – 15 minutes later to facilitate the adjustment to the time change. 

if they are not crying, let them have a little quiet time.

in the afternoon:

during nap time, offer to rock them quietly when they first wake up or sit and snuggle them in the darkened room to extend their rest period.

babies may need a little nap later in the day for a few days to make it to bedtime.

in the evening:

for night time, keep to a routine, and try to extend the bedtime 10-15 minutes later until they are back to their regular bed time.

use dark out curtains if possible to make it really dark.

bath time, pajamas, reading time, and a darkened room etc. are good goals to keep. maybe read an extra book for a week or two to help the adjustment.

food ideas for the tired family adjusting to the time change

make sure babies and toddlers are well fed and expect that they may need a little more milk during their extra tiredness while adjusting.

for adults, be sure to drink plenty of water.  it will help the tiredness from the time change until our bodies catch up. it takes about two weeks.

afternoon snacks and before meal appetizers may be necessary to wait for the new dinner time and maybe a bedtime nibble to fill up hungry bellies.

social interaction ideas when the family is overtired.

when babies and toddlers see your face in the morning, they are super excited and happy and they will not go back to sleep easily.  try and let them wake up slowly in their beds. don’t go in their room right away.  give them 10 or 15 minutes to wake up slowly, unless they are hungry or loudly crying.

are you and your babies struggling to adjust to the time change with daylight savings fall back? what has helped you get through it?

to read more about coping during the time changes, “taking cara baby” has a blog post i just love. check it out here.

want to hire a postpartum doula? here is my story: my births and how i came to be a postpartum doula.

more about grammie doula:

i offer in-person and virtual postpartum doula support in middle tennessee and my clients call me “grammie d”.  i have 25 years as a labor and delivery nurse and then 10 years as a birth photographer.

i am a mom to 3 grown children, 6 grandchildren and a baby in heaven. i live in a small house with a view and long front porch with my gray-bearded husband and four pets that prefer his company over mine! ~laura