Daylight Saving and Kids' Sleep: An Age-by-Age Guide

Daylight Savings - How to thrive, not just survive

Daylight saving starts this Sunday, 4 October. At 2am the clocks jump forward to 3am in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, the ACT and Tasmania, and just like that, the whole house loses an hour of sleep.

For most adults it's a groggy Monday and a second coffee. For kids, and especially kids who rely on routine and predictability to feel settled, it can throw sleep out for a week or more. The good news is that a little planning in the days before goes a long way. Below is how I'd approach daylight saving and kids' sleep at every age, from babies right through to big kids, plus the sleep support tools we reach for at home.

Why Daylight Saving Affects Kids' Sleep

Our body clock runs on light. When it gets dark, the brain releases melatonin, the hormone that makes us feel sleepy. When the clocks go forward, two things change at once:

• Bedtime arrives an hour "early" as far as your child's body is concerned. At 7.30pm on the clock, their body still thinks it's 6.30pm, so they simply aren't tired yet.
• It stays lighter for longer. Sunlight streaming through the window at bedtime tells the brain it's still daytime, which delays melatonin even further.

Then there's the morning. Waking at 7am on the new time feels like 6am, so getting everyone up and out the door can suddenly feel much harder. Add warmer spring nights into the mix and it's no surprise that sleep goes a bit sideways.

Kids with sensory sensitivities often feel these shifts more strongly. A change in light, temperature or routine can be enough to unsettle a child who depends on things feeling the same each night.

Daylight Saving and Baby Sleep (0 to 12 Months)

Babies don't read clocks, so the goal is to nudge their rhythm across gently rather than all at once.

• Shift in small steps. Starting three or four days before the change, move naps, feeds and bedtime 10 to 15 minutes earlier each day. By Sunday, you're most of the way there.
• Or split the difference. If your baby is fairly easygoing, you can move bedtime 30 minutes earlier on Sunday, then the remaining 30 minutes a few days later.
• Keep the room dark. Blackout blinds or curtains help with lighter evenings and early sunrises, making naps and bedtime easier.
• Use consistent sound. Gentle white or pink noise helps mask the sounds of lighter, busier evenings. The Glow Dreaming Sleep Easy combines a soft red light, pink noise and a humidifier in one device. Red light is a warmer, lower-stimulation light than a standard white globe, so it gives you a soft light for night feeds without fully waking everyone up. Always position it according to the manufacturer's instructions.

The Glow Dreaming Sleep Easy combines a soft red light, pink noise and a humidifier for night feeds and settling.

For babies under 12 months, always follow the Red Nose safe sleeping guidelines. Keep the cot clear, and don't use weighted, compression or loose items in the sleep space.

If a gentle bedtime ritual helps your little one wind down, the Kids Magnesium Oil Spray is suitable from three months. Patch test first and check with your healthcare provider before using it with a young baby.

Toddlers and Preschoolers (1 to 5 Years)

This is often the age where daylight saving hits hardest. Toddlers know exactly when it's still light outside, and they'll tell you about it.

• Start a few nights out. Move bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night in the lead-up, and wake them 15 minutes earlier each morning. Shift meals along with it so the whole day moves together.
• Make time visible. Young kids find it hard to understand why bedtime has suddenly moved. Our Magnetic Countdown Timer shows time passing as a shrinking block of colour, so "ten more minutes until bath" becomes something they can actually see.
• Keep the routine identical. Same bath, same book, same song. When the clock changes, the routine becomes the cue that tells their body it's time to sleep.

For kids aged three and up who struggle to settle, deep pressure can make a real difference. Our Sensory Compression Sheet stretches over the mattress like a snug sleeve, giving gentle pressure across the body without restricting movement. Many parents find it helps restless kids stay in bed.

The Sensory Compression Sheet stretches over the mattress to give gentle, even pressure without restricting movement.

From two years, SleepyPatch Sleep Promoting Stickers are an easy add-on. Pop one on their pyjamas or pillow and the lavender and mandarin scent becomes part of the wind-down. Everyone responds to essential oils differently, so see how your child goes.

School-Aged Kids and Tweens

Older kids tend to adjust faster, but they're also the ones most likely to argue that it can't possibly be bedtime when the sun is still up.

• Explain it ahead of time. Talk about the clock change a few days before so it doesn't feel like a surprise. Kids who like to know what's coming handle change much better when they've had time to prepare.
• Move bedtime and wake time together. Shift both 15 minutes earlier over the three or four nights before Sunday.
• Get outside in the morning. Morning sunlight on Sunday and Monday is one of the quickest ways to reset the body clock.
• Screens off earlier. Aim for an hour without screens before bed, especially in the first week.

Spring is also when bedrooms start to warm up, and a child who's too hot won't settle. Our Cooling Blanket uses Q-max cooling fabric to draw heat away from the body, so kids stay comfortable through warmer nights. It's one of our most-loved sleep products for exactly this time of year.

The Cooling Blanket's Q-max fabric draws heat away from the body for warmer spring nights.

For kids who need somewhere calm to retreat to before lights out, the Sensory Regulation Tunnel sits on top of the bed as a cosy tent with curtains they can open and close. It gives them a small, enclosed space to wind down while it's still light outside. Suitable from three years.

A few sprays of Dream Aromatherapy Sleep Spray around the room can round out the routine. This lavender sleep spray and chamomile scent is a simple signal that the day is winding down.

A lavender and chamomile pillow mist to round out the bedtime routine.

Sensory-Friendly Tips for the Week of the Change

• Keep the anchors of the day the same: wake time, meals and bedtime routine.
• Plan active, heavy play earlier in the day, like jumping, climbing or carrying, and keep evenings calm and low-stimulation.
• Use a visual schedule, such as a bedtime routine chart, so kids can see what's coming next, even when the clock has moved.
• Block out extra evening light in the bedroom where you can.
• Go easy on yourself. Most kids adjust within a week, and a few rough nights are completely normal.

If Your Child Is Still Unsettled After a Week

Some kids take a little longer, and that's okay. Keep the routine steady and give it another week. If sleep is still a struggle after that, it's worth having a chat with your GP or occupational therapist, who can help work out what's going on for your child.

Using NDIS Funding for Sleep Support

For more ideas on setting up a bedroom that supports sleep, have a read of What does a Bedroom Need so that my Child will Sleep?