On Sunday morning, D.C.-area clocks will “spring ahead” to Daylight Saving Time. An area pediatrician has tips to help kids with the transition.
Dr. Christina Brown is a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in White Marsh, Maryland. Some of her advice includes outdoor activity, bedtime routines, red lighting and screen time adjustments.
“Limiting screen time before bed is so important because the screens from your computer, cellphone, TV … those are all what we call ‘blue light’ that can affect a body’s circadian rhythm,” she said.
For those who can’t be separated from their devices, the brightness of most cellphone, tablet or computer screens can be lowered in the settings.
But “it’s really important to turn off those screens,” Brown emphasized.
Brown also said that if you wake up in the middle of the night, using a red night light can make it easier to fall back to sleep.
“They actually make special night lights that are in a red shade that don’t have the same effect on your sleep,” she said.
A study published by the National Institutes of Health suggests exposure to red light when sleeping may improve alertness upon waking.
Though area weather may not cooperate on Saturday, Brown said that on days close to the time change, it’s important to keep the lights on, get outside as much as possible, be active during daylight hours and get plenty of exercise.
“But when the evening comes, turn the lights down low, dim the lights, do quieter activities,” she said.
Brown said an important part of good sleep hygiene involves a routine.
“All of these tricks are great sleep hygiene things we should all be doing on a daily basis,” she said. “But to help children fall asleep, you can have that bedtime routine. Turn the lights down lower, taking a bath, reading a book, brushing teeth so they’re just used to that routine and they know that bedtime is coming.”
Gradual bedtime adjustments, Brown said, can make the end result easier.
“Start adjusting the bedtime by about 15 minutes for about three days before the time change,” she said. “So, say your bedtime was normally 8 p.m. … you could move it up to 7:45 and then the next night to 7:30 … so that when the time change happens, it’ll be easier to fall asleep at that earlier bedtime.”
Brown said it’s important to remember that kids need good rest more than adults do.
“Sleep is so important for your mood. It helps you readjust from a busy day, it helps your mental health and energy. You make your best decisions when you’ve had a good night’s sleep,” Brown said. “It’s the same for adults and especially important for children.”
