How to Adjust Your Baby or Toddler’s Sleep When the Clocks Go Back
The clocks go back at 2am on Sunday 25 October, and everyone will tell you that you're getting an extra hour in bed.
You're not. Nobody has told your baby.
Their body clock carries on exactly as it was, which means the 6am wake-up you've learned to live with arrives at 5am on the new clock. For parents who've only just found a rhythm that mostly works, that's a lot to brace for.
It's also much less of a threat than it feels. A clock change is a one-off nudge to a body clock that's perfectly capable of adjusting. It isn't a setback, and it doesn't undo anything you've built. How much you do about it is up to you, and doing very little is a reasonable choice. Below are four ways to handle it, from planned to "I forgot until Saturday night", then what to do if the early starts turn up anyway.
What the clock change actually does to your baby
Your baby's body clock runs on light and the pattern of their days. It doesn't know the clocks have changed, so it carries on exactly as it was.
That has two effects. In the evening, 6.30pm on the new time feels like their usual 7.30pm bedtime, so they may be ready for sleep earlier than the clock suggests. In the morning, a 6am wake-up now lands at 5am on the new time.
For most babies and toddlers this sorts itself out within a few days to a week. Some take up to two weeks, particularly younger babies and those who notice every small change to their day. None of it means you've done anything wrong. It's your baby's body clock catching up with the new time, and it does.
1. The gradual approach, for babies who notice every change
If your baby tends to register even small shifts in their day, or you simply prefer a slow, steady transition, start early.
From Wednesday 21 October, move bedtime 15 minutes later each night. If bedtime is usually 7.30pm, that looks like this:
Wednesday: 7.45pm
Thursday: 8.00pm
Friday: 8.15pm
Saturday: 8.30pm
By Sunday evening, 7.30pm on the new time feels like 8.30pm did the night before, so you arrive back at your usual bedtime.
Move naps and mealtimes by the same 15 minutes each day. Their body clock responds to the whole shape of the day, so keeping everything gently in step makes the adjustment smoother than shifting bedtime alone.
2. The half-step option – For the “Oops, I forgot” weekend
If you're reading this on Friday and thinking that ship has sailed, you can still get ahead of it.
Move bedtime, naps and mealtimes 30 minutes later on Friday, and 30 minutes later again on Saturday. For a 7.30pm bedtime, that's 8.00pm on Friday and 8.30pm on Saturday. The steps are bigger than in the gradual approach, so it may be a little less smooth, but it gives their body clock a proper head start before Sunday.
3. The later Saturday, for children who no longer nap
If your child has dropped their naps, you can keep them up for the extra hour on Saturday night and hope for a slightly later start on Sunday morning.
It won't always work. Toddlers love a 5.30am plot twist. But it costs nothing to try. If your child still naps, push the day's naps a little later so bedtime doesn't turn into an endurance test.
When your child is still wide awake and wired at the end of a stretched evening, this post on why babies get hyper at bedtime will help you read what's happening.
4. Doing very little, which is allowed!
Sometimes you forget about the clocks altogether until Sunday morning, when it feels like the longest morning in history. That was always me!
If it's you, you haven't missed your chance. Babies and toddlers will adapt with no planning at all. Keep your usual bedtime routine, and focus on daylight, fresh air and movement on both Saturday and Sunday. Natural light is the strongest signal their body clock gets. Bedtime may land earlier on the new time, around 6.30pm if you usually do 7.30pm, and that's fine. Edge it later by 15 to 30 minutes over the next few days.
This works best when sleep has been reasonably settled and your baby isn't especially sensitive to changes in their day. And if life simply won't allow a week of gradual shifts, it's a perfectly good plan.
If the early starts arrive anyway
Say you've done the lot, or none of it, and your baby is still awake at 5am on Monday. A few things matter more than anything else here.
Move towards your usual times in small steps
After the change, your baby's body will want naps and bedtime an hour earlier by the new time. Aim for the times you'd like on the new time and get there 15 minutes at a time, rather than all at once. If your usual bedtime is 7.30pm, that could look like this:
Sunday: 6.30pm
Monday: 6.45pm
Tuesday: 7.00pm
Wednesday: 7.15pm
Thursday: 7.30pm
Move the first nap in the same steps. Try not to bring either earlier than the time you're aiming for to make up for the early start, because an earlier first nap or bedtime can reinforce early waking.
Choose your morning anchor
Decide what time you'd like the day to start and treat anything within about 15 minutes either side of it as that time. That gives you a 30 minute window to aim for, rather than a single minute you'll fail to hit. Before the window, keep things dark, quiet and low-key. Inside it, open the curtains and start the day.
Get outside soon after waking
Morning light is the biggest influence on the body clock, and a walk in autumn daylight does more than any amount of indoor light. The link between outdoor time and sleep is a strong one, and it's free.
Give it up to two weeks
If your baby is still waking before 6am after that, it's worth looking at their whole 24 hours (total sleep, daytime sleep timing and light) rather than the clock change itself. The Early Waking Masterclass and guide goes through that in full.
A few things that help whichever approach you choose
Use blackout blinds
After the change, mornings get lighter by the clock and evenings darker. Light is a wake-up signal, so a bedroom that stays dark until your chosen morning anchor makes early starts less likely to become the new normal.
Keep the cues familiar
The same bedtime routine, the same words, the same comfort. They're your baby's anchors for sleep, and they matter more when the clocks have changed.
Lower the bar for a week
A few unsettled nights are normal, and so is a baby who needs more contact or settling support than usual. Responding to them is not a step backwards.
Don't diagnose a week of rough sleep
When the clocks go back, it's easy to wonder if you've hit a "sleep regression". You haven't. Your baby's body clock is catching up with the new time, and nothing has gone backwards. If you'd like the full picture of why that label causes more worry than it deserves, The Truth About Baby Sleep Regressions: Myths vs Facts goes through it.
Which one should you pick?
If your baby notices every change and you have the headspace, the gradual approach is the gentlest. If it's Friday and you've just remembered, the half-step is worth the effort. If your child no longer naps, the later Saturday is a quick experiment. If life is full, doing very little is a sound plan that most families get through without incident.
You know your baby, your house and how much you can take on this week. Pick the one that fits that, rather than the one that sounds most organised. And if you're still up at 5am on Sunday, at least the coffee machine will have company.
Want to understand your baby's sleep more clearly?
You'll find my free sleep resources here.
If your baby is already waking early, the clocks going back will move that wake-up an hour earlier by the new time, so a 5am start becomes 4am. The Early Waking Masterclass and guide goes through what's behind early waking and what helps, across your baby's whole 24 hours, so you can make a start before the clocks change.
And if you'd like some one-to-one support, you can find out about working with me and book a discovery call here.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the clocks go back in the UK in 2026?
The clocks go back at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026, returning to 1am as British Summer Time ends. You gain an hour on the clock, but your baby's body clock doesn't move with it.
How do I adjust my baby's sleep when the clocks go back?
There are four sensible options. You can move bedtime, naps and mealtimes 15 minutes later each night from Wednesday 21 October, or use a half-step with 30 minutes later on Friday and Saturday. If your child no longer naps, you can keep them up later on Saturday night. Or you can change nothing and let their body clock catch up over a week or so. The right choice depends on how much your baby notices changes to their day.
How long does it take a baby to adjust when the clocks go back?
Most babies and toddlers settle within a few days to a week. Some take up to two weeks, particularly younger babies or those who are more sensitive to changes in their rhythm. Morning light and keeping familiar sleep cues in place help.
Should I put my baby to bed earlier if they wake early after the clocks change?
Try not to. Keep bedtime and the first nap as near to your usual time as you can, moving towards it in 15 minute steps if your baby's body is asking for an earlier start after the change. Bringing either earlier than you want can reinforce early waking. Get outside soon after waking and give it up to two weeks.
Is a rough week after the clock change a sleep regression?
No. After the clocks go back, your baby's body clock needs a few days to catch up with the new time, and then it settles. Nothing has gone backwards.
