Changing the clocks in spring and autumn
What it's about
Twice a year the clock jumps by an hour, but your child’s inner clock doesn’t. In spring (clocks go forward an hour) your child isn’t tired yet at bedtime and is hard to wake in the morning. In autumn (clocks go back an hour) they get tired earlier in the evening and wake an hour earlier by the clock.
What experts advise
There are hardly any studies on young children, and advice varies. The children’s hospital Seattle Children’s describes that falling-asleep and wake-up times usually shift for a few days after the change, and that some children benefit from moving bedtime in 15-minute steps on a few evenings beforehand. Other families switch on the day itself.
In spring: clocks go forward
If you want to go step by step, from about four days before you move everything a little earlier each day: waking, meals, naps and bedtime. In spring it stays light longer in the evening; many families then darken the room well. For toddlers it is established that bright evening light shifts the body clock later (Hartstein 2023).
In autumn: clocks go back
If you want to go step by step, from about four days before you move everything a little later each day. Many families keep the room dark and quiet in the morning until the new getting-up time and go out into daylight once more in the late afternoon.
Without preparation
It also works without preparation: some families meet halfway on the Sunday and catch up over the next days. Moon Hour learns the new rhythm by itself.
If you are worried
Experts recommend contacting your paediatrician or your local out-of-hours medical service if you are worried.
Sources
- Seattle Children’s 2026: Children and the clock change
- Hartstein et al. 2023: Evening light shifts young children’s body clock
- Rishi et al. 2020: AASM position statement on daylight saving time
- Rishi et al. 2024: AASM position statement for permanent standard time
General information, not a substitute for medical advice.
Sources checked: November 2026