Along with the mood dysregulation inherent with seasonal changes caused by changes in light, weather, and the excitement and sugar rush of Halloween, today we turn our clocks back an hour. While I admit personally to loving the falling back of fall, that extra hour of sleep can cause major disruptions to both internal systems: our circadian rhythm, and external systems: parents of young children who already get up earlier than their parents. A shift is still a shift, and transitions are difficult, particularly for sensitive children.
In her informative Health Line article, Michelle Pugle quotes several sleep experts regarding what to expect, and how to deal with disruptive sleep issues caused by time changes:
Dr. Shalini Paruthi, co-director of the Sleep Medicine and Research Center at St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis, and spokesperson at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine,” suggests children with mood disorders and mental health issues are particularly at risk:
“The time change is like jet lag . . . It creates a conflict between your body’s circadian rhythm and the expectations of society.” -Paruthi, Shalini
Dr. Robert Kowatch, child and adolescent psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ohio concurs:
“Some children have a more fixed circadian rhythm and this makes it more challenging to adjust.”
In particular he mentions the sleep challenges of children with ADHD:
“Kids with ADHD are often on stimulant medications and they may often have trouble falling asleep at night.” -Kowatch, Robert
Dr. Craig Canapari, Director of the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center adds:
“In my experience, these difficulties may be exaggerated in children with autism.”
All of these experts suggest shifting sleep schedules gradually over a few days, and:
“Avoid electronics 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime and especially while in bed. The bright light emitted by electronic devices can signal to the body that it should be awake and alert.” -Paruthi, Shalini
Meanwhile, my suggestion to clients is: Less is more right now. You don’t have to say, “yes” to every obligation, party, or event. Sleep is an essential ingredient to overall emotional and physical wellbeing. Try putting on your pajamas, popping some popcorn, cuddling up, and reading a great book together as a family. Eventually this shift will even out and sleep will normalize.
Finally, it’s easy to forget that getting adequate sleep as a parent coping with an exceptional child, is one of the best ways to care for yourself, and absolutely essential to remaining calm when your child is not. This week I am experimenting with hops tea, a meditation app, reading before bed, and turning off my electronics, particularly my terrible habit of reading the news feeds at night. Sigh! Sleep well . . .
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Disclaimer:
Neither the publisher nor the author are engaged in rendering advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions continued in this blog are not intended as a substitute for consulting with a licensed mental health and or child development advisor. All matters regarding the health and development of your child require professional supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestions in this blog.
Pugle, Michelle. “What You can Do to Help Children Adjust to Daylight Saving Time”, Health News: March 5, 2019. https://www.healthline.com
Canapari, Craig MD. “Avoiding Problems When “Falling Back”: Daylight Saving Time and Your Child.” October 12, 2021. https://www.drcraigcanapari.com