Are you ready to fall back?

Fall is in the air! It is cold in the mornings (though still a bit warmer during the day than I like), everything is pumpkin spice flavored and our children’s Halloween costumes are taking up much thought.
But with this time of year also comes the fall back time chance!
The day after Halloween night, Nov.1st at 2am, when we are all still in a candy coma, we will move our clocks back.
So that means if your little princess gets up a 6am, it will actually be 5am. Oh the horror of it all. We could say this is totally a trick instead of treat!

But never fear! Here are some tips to help you get over this fall back time change.

1) Plan Ahead! If you are a planner and like to be prepared, you can start adjusting your child’s sleep schedule ahead of time. Start about 3 days before the time change and adjust each day by 15 minutes. Then when the time change does roll around you are only 15 minutes off.

2) Or Go Cold Turkey! If you don’t get around to adjusting ahead of time, don’t worry! Just move immediately over to the new time. No more adjusting! If your child normally naps at 1pm, then just put them down at the new 1pm. No more worrying about what it actually feels like.

3) Go Walkin on Sunshine! Sunshine is going to be your best friend during this time change. Did you know that our body clocks are set by the sun? Well, they are! So on Nov. 1st, plan a fun filled day outside. Meet all your friends for a picnic and hike and open those windows first thing in the morning. The more sun you get, the quicker your clock will re set!

4) Proper Schedule. Make sure that your child has an age appropriate schedule. If your child is waking too early, napping at odd times or going to bed too late, the time change will just make these things worse. There is no time like the present to get these things in order. A well rested child can handle minor changes in schedule much better than an over tired one!

5)Environment is Key! Even though it is going to be getting darker earlier, it is still helpful to make sure that you have a proper sleep environment. Get your child’s room as dark as you possibly can and use white noise or a sound machine to help drown out any outside noises. We all sleep better in a sleep inducing room, right?

And  finally, just remember that it can take a few days to adjust! These tips work great for adults as well. So don’t dread it, just go with it and enjoy your fall! I hope to Meet you all in Dreamland!