How to help kids with ADHD adjust to daylight saving time

Many parents dread the daylight saving time change, and for good reason. Daylight saving time changes happen twice a year — on the second Sunday in March when clocks move forward an hour, and on the first Sunday of November when clocks move back an hour. But even a one-hour shift in your child’s sleep routine can undo any sleep progress you’ve made, and cause a week or more of disruption. 

And if your child has ADHD, this shift can be even more stressful. 

“Daylight saving time involves a change in our schedule, so it is not surprising that it hits harder for kids who are neurodivergent or have ADHD, as changes in the schedule can often be harder for these kids,” explains Elizabeth Harstad, MD, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital and as assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

As challenging as the time change can be, there are some simple adjustments you can make to help the transition go a little smoother for your child. Read on for some helpful daylight saving time tips for kids with ADHD.

Kids with ADHD often have trouble sleeping, including problems falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up in the morning. In fact, 25 to 55 percent of kids with ADHD experience sleep problemsopens in a new tab. So, falling back and springing forward with daylight saving time can make existing sleep challenges even worse.

“In the fall, when the clocks move earlier, it can be even harder for children with ADHD to fall asleep at this earlier hour, since they already often struggle to fall asleep at night,” Harstad says.

Kids with ADHD or who have other kinds of neurodivergence also tend to take longer to adjust to the time change. “It generally takes children about one week to adjust to a time change and it is likely that it takes longer for children with ADHD or who are neurodivergent to adjust, although there isn’t really any well-done research showing exactly how long it takes,” Harstad says.

One thing to try? Gradually moving bedtimes and other daily routines backward or forward in preparation for the change. For example, the American Academy of Sleep Medicineopens in a new tab suggests the following: 

• Fall (clocks go back): Move bedtime 15 to 20 minutes later each night — for two to three days — before the time changes. 

• Spring (clocks go forward): Move bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night — for two to three days — before the time changes. 

Having a predictable daily routine can be particularly helpful for kids who have ADHD or other kinds of neurodivergence. That’s why it can be so challenging when daylight saving transitions wreak havoc on those routines.

It’s also why sticking to any established routines you already have in place can be so helpful during this time. A familiar bedtime routine makes it easier for kids to stay on track. And going through the usual routine can help kids’ brains get the message that it’s time to get sleepy.

A healthy bedtime routine for a child with ADHD or neurodivergence might look like the following, about 30 minutes before bedtime:opens in a new tab

• A bath, followed by toothbrushing

• Dimming the lights and getting ready for bed

• Doing a wind-down activity together, like reading, telling stories, deep breathing, or holding a comfort item like a teddy bear

• Reassuring physical contact, like cuddling or hugging goodnight

• Lights out

Research showsopens in a new tab that exercise can help with sleep, especially in kids with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence. In fact, exercise during the day can give kids a boost in melatonin in the evening, which can help them feel more drowsy at bedtime.

Adding some exercise to your child’s routine in the later part of their day can be particularly helpful for daylight saving time changes, Harstad suggests. “Going outside for a walk in the later afternoon or early evening (when it is still light outside) can help encourage children to be more ready to fall asleep at their new bedtime,” she says.

The blue light from screens like TVs, phones, computers, and tablets can disrupt kids’ sleep. In particular, blue light from screens decreases melatonin secretion.opens in a new tab And, as Harstad points out, children with ADHD are more likely to experience delays in melatonin secretion.opens in a new tab Melatonin is the chemical that helps make you tired at night.

Screen time can also crowd out calming and low-energy tasks that help children go to sleep. So in general, and especially during daylight saving time changes, if your child usually watches TV or uses a tablet close to bedtime, have them turn it off at least an hour before bedtime. You can even try pausing screen time for a few days during the time change. 

Kids with sensory processing issues may react more strongly to the changes in light and darkness that come with springing forward or falling back an hour. That’s why adjusting the light in their sleep space can be especially important. 

“With the fall time change, children are more likely to wake up an hour early in the mornings,” Harstad says. “Thus, it can be helpful to make sure that their bedroom doesn’t allow for early morning light to come in and wake them up.”

During the spring when clocks jump forward, kids may have trouble falling asleep at bedtime, so keeping the bedroom especially dark (and considering sleep eye masks or black-out curtains) can help your child more easily fall asleep.

Having kids spend time outside during daylight savings time changes can be helpful too. For example, going outside in the morning during the spring time change can help your child’s circadian rhythm better adjust.opens in a new tab

Kids with ADHD often have circadian rhythm dysfunction,opens in a new tab which means their internal 24-hour clock tends to be out of sync with their outside environment. In fact, 73 to 78 percent of kids and adults with ADHD have delayed sleep/wake cycles.

 So it’s best to avoid big shifts in sleep schedules during the week, like having different sleep and wake times on weekdays and weekends. “This will just worsen sleep issues that can occur at the time of daylight saving,” Harstad explains. 

Instead, Harstad recommends trying to have “a consistent bedtime and wake time all seven days of the week whenever possible.”

You know your child best. Think about what has or hasn’t been helpful in the past when your child had a difficult time with sleep.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do tools like a white noise machine, sleep eye mask, or blackout curtains help your kid sleep?

• Has a bedtime routine chart or checklist been helpful in reminding your child of their nighttime routine?

• What activity does your child find most soothing before bed (reading, taking a bath, singing lullabies, etc.)?

• In the past, has it been helpful to have a discussion with your child before a routine changes so they know what to expect? 

• What sleep routines or cues have NOT been helpful for your child?

After you’ve done some brainstorming, you can come up with a list of things to try that might work best. 

Most kids with ADHD or who are neurodivergent are able to adjust to daylight saving time, even if they need a bit more time and support. But for some children, the adjustment doesn’t go as smoothly.

“If your child has continued to struggle with sleep challenges for more than two weeks after the time change, it is reasonable to talk with your child’s health care provider about strategies to help,” Harstad recommends.

Keep in mind, too, that some kids with ADHD may be struggling with other conditions that make it difficult to adjust to the time change.

“For some children, there may be a concern of a seasonal affective disorder (SAD), especially if sleep and daytime functioning are worsening after the fall time change, when there is more darkness overall,” says Harstad. “Children with ADHD are at higher likelihood of having depression and anxiety than children without ADHD, and SAD is a type of depression associated with the change to winter months and more darkness.”

If you have concerns about SAD, depression, or anxiety, don’t hesitate to connect with your child’s health care provider for support.