Daylight Saving Time is Ending
How to Adjust Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule
Heather’s dad, upstate NY
On November 1st, 2026, the clocks will turn back one hour. While you’re sleeping on Saturday night, the time moves earlier, so if you normally wake up at 7:00 a.m., it will only say 6:00 a.m. on your clock. In other words, you might get an extra hour of sleep, (if the rest of the family cooperates).
We’re returning to Standard Time, which is "natural” time. Standard Time is good for us, because it’s more in line with the solar day (when the sun rises and sets).
Here’s how to adjust to Daylight Saving Time ending
Option 1: Jump right to the new time (older kids+teens)
When we “fall back”, older kids, teens, and adults (especially those who are night owls) are often just fine jumping to the new time. Teens do especially well with the fall time change, because they have an easy time sleeping in.
For an older child, you can just put them to bed at the time according to the clock on Sunday night and they will most likely be very tired and ready to sleep.
option 2: Shift to Standard Time gradually (best for babies)
The gradual shift is better for babies and young kids. Gradually changing your baby’s sleep, wake, nap, eating, and exercise times will all help their internal clock adjust in a much more biologically friendly way.
What used to be 8:00 p.m. will now be 7:00 p.m., so adjust sleep times 5–10 minutes later each day in anticipation.
STEPS FOR THE GRADUAL SHIFT LEADING UP TO THE END OF DAYLIGHT SAVING:
You can start 6 days before the time change, or 12 days if you’re feeling ambitious and you want to go with the most gradual change. You will start your bedtime routine and put your baby to sleep minutes later each day — 5 minutes later if you’re starting 12 days early, and 10 minutes later if you’re starting 6 days early. It will take you 6-12 days to reach the one-hour mark.
Use the same rate of adjustment for naps, 5 or 10 minutes later each day for 12 or 6 days. Also for wake up time, feeding, and meals.
If your baby hasn’t completely adjusted by the time daylight saving time arrives, no worries; just continue the adjustment over the next few days.
If your baby’s current schedule is off and the time change will help (for example, you want him to go to bed and wake an hour earlier), you’re in luck. You will be able to shift your baby immediately to the new time. It will still be very important to pay attention to blocking out daylight and keeping bedtime and naptime routines consistent.
If your baby’s schedule is off in a direction where the time change will make it even worse, adjust gradually to the new time and then continue until you’ve reached the desired bedtime. One of the most daunting scenarios is when it’s fall and your baby is already waking up way too early in the a.m.
more tips for helping your baby adjust to the time change
Along with gradually shifting your baby’s schedule, a few simple strategies can help make the transition to the end of Daylight Saving Time easier for the whole family.
1. Keep bedtime and nap routines consistent.
Hold onto your usual bedtime and naptime routines. All that effort and consistency will pay off now, as familiar cues help your baby know what to expect and adjust to the new time.
2. Keep your baby’s room very dark.
Light creeping into your baby’s room early in the morning or during naps can make it harder to maintain your desired sleep schedule. Blackout curtains or shades can help keep the room dark when you need it to be.
3. Make the most of morning sunlight.
As we move into winter, the days get shorter, so we have fewer hours of daylight overall. This is a seasonal change, separate from the clock change itself.
When we return to Standard Time in November, sunrise shifts earlier by the clock. Morning sunlight helps regulate our internal body clocks and supports healthy sleep-wake rhythms. Getting outside in the morning when possible can be beneficial for the whole family.
4. Remember that the seasonal light pattern matters, too.
Standard Time brings earlier sunrises and earlier sunsets by the clock compared with Daylight Saving Time. Many sleep experts favor Standard Time because its light-dark cycle generally aligns better with our internal body clocks. With darker evenings and brighter mornings, it can be easier to maintain a healthy sleep-wake rhythm.
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