7 Tips for Summer Sunrise, Daylight Savings and Sleep | Snotty Noses Australia

Many parts of Australia will switch to Daylight Savings this weekend. No matter what state you live in, the sunrise is getting earlier and the sunset is getting later.  

This can present significant challenges when it comes to children's sleep. Even more so for children with autism, sensory processing disorders or behavioural challenges.

Issues arise in Summer due to a combination of changes to their body clock and the fact they find it harder to fall asleep when it's still light outside. 

We have some tips to help this transition and support a consistent, calm bedtime routine and morning wake schedule...

1.  Get Physical:  Studies have shown that exercise in the late afternoon (anywhere between 4-6pm) can aid the body in adjusting to the change in season and sunlight.  

Make sure your child is getting plenty of "green time", then they have time to wind down and are physically tired by bedtime.  

2.  Maintain the Routine:  Keep the rest of the night routine consistent. It's hard to call children in from the yard when it's still light, but keeping dinner and bath times consistent will set the tone for the evening and give children appropriate cues that bedtime is coming (even though it's still light outside). 

Keep activities before bed calm - no crazy games of hide-and-seek and minimal screens.

3.  Cross To The Darkside:  A darker room helps stimulate the production of melatonin - a hormone that controls sleep and wake cycles. Black out blinds or DIY black cardboard are your best friend. 

You may not want to cover the entire window, but covering 80% will take the edge off the daylight outside (handy for both morning and evening sleep routines). 

4.  Use a Nightlight:  This may seem totally opposite to the advice above, but a soft nightlight (warm tones recommended for maximum melatonin production) can take the focus off outside light.  It will keep the ambient room light soft, even as the night darkness finally rolls in. 

Try our HUSH Vaporiser with adjustable night light (bright/dim/red/all colours) plus a built in cool mist humidifier and air purifier - calming essential oils like Calm Cocoon (sweet Orange, Cedarwood, Mandarin, Vetiver and Roman Chamomile.) can be added for extra effectiveness.

5.  Explain the Science:  Find a story or information book about the Solar System which explains to children that it's the position of the Earth that changes in Summer, but the amount of sleep we need stays the same. 

Preschoolers find information about the big, wide universe fascinating.  Make a model to show how the Southern Hemisphere tilts toward the Sun during our Summer, and that's why we get more sunlight each day.

6.  Clever Clocks:  A sleep clock beside your child's bed is a fun way to start learning to tell the time.  But it also teaches them when it's time to sleep at night. In the morning, it shows children when they can get out of bed (even though they may have woken up long before, they learn to stay in bed until the clock switches to awake).

Sam the Sheep Sleep Clocks are cute, practical and super popular with children, ages 2 and up. Sam's eyes open and close at the time set by parents. In the morning, the digital display changes colour and counts down the minutes until it's time to get out of bed. 

7.  The Best Noise:  "White noise" is any consistent, low-frequency sound and playing in your baby or child's room is highly recommended by sleep experts all over the world - 365 nights a year.  But did you know "brown noise" is even better. It has a lower frequency and deeper base than white noise, which means the sound is more relaxing.

Brown noise is even more important in Summer, when the birds start to chirp at dawn!!  Even that soft tweet, combined with a light sky can wake your little cherub far too early.  You need to block that sound - and it's so easy. 

A simple, noise machine - like our Three Sheep Sound Therapy unit - is a great solution.  With the option of both battery and electric power, it will play all night, and block all those early morning distracting noises like birds chirping, garbage trucks, dogs barking, noisy neighbours, traffic - everything! There are over 30 sounds available, from brown noise, rain, meditation, chimes, wind and waves.

Our Hush Ultrasonic Vaporiser in an 8-in-1 game-changer for sleep. It features mist, light and sound options built in, plus the convenience of Bluetooth speaker and remote control. 

Good sleep is the cornerstone of a happy child, a happy parent and a happy family. Sufficient sleep is essential for physical, emotional and behavioural health. 

If your current sleep state is not working, and you want to make a change, we are here to help. It's not about old school rigid routines or cry-it-out methods. It's about consistent, age-appropriate, flexible sleep schedules and it's possible for every family. Small changes implemted consistently can make a big difference.

Three Sheep Sound Therapy (battery and electric power)