This week there will be a new time change with the arrival of winter time. In the early morning of October 26 to 27, we Spaniards will have to set our clocks back one hour. A measure that has been carried out every year since 1973, when the mandatory time change was established in Spain and that causes for several days sleep disorders which, when it comes to families with small children, can get complicated.
But, according to Marina Ametller, founder of Xanababyit is possible to adapt routines and not suffer from lack of rest, something that can have a major impact on the physical and emotional health of the main caregivers. The main thing, he explains, “would be not to fall into this common mistake: maintaining the same summer schedules without taking into account the biological rhythm and the needs of adults and children during the winter.”
All living beings, says Ametller, “have different sleep needs in winter and summer. As a general rule, in winter we need to sleep more hours and do it earlier. This also applies to the little ones in the house. Furthermore, by not adapting their routines, they are likely to enter a state of alert, which causes greater irritability and frequent night awakenings».
One of the main keys to optimal children’s sleep with the time change, according to this expert, is based on a mathematical formula. «It is necessary that bedtime be in sync with the circadian rhythm. And that optimal time to go to bed can be calculated for children from 0 to 10 years old with a simple formula: the time of solar noon + 7.5 hours.
Furthermore, despite the debate generated by the time change, Ametller points out that we must consider that children will sleep more in winter. «Many families fear that, if the little ones go to bed earlier, they will also wake up earlier. However, the decrease in sunlight and lower ambient temperatures help us all sleep more hours.
Despite this trend, he continues, we must not forget that, to encourage your little one to sleep more and earlier, remember, “it is essential reduce exposure to artificial light and to the screens. “Use warm, dim (amber) lights about two hours before bed to encourage melatonin production.”
It is also very useful to adjust daily activities to include enough physical exercise during the day and moments of relaxation before bedtime and, of course, maintaining a consistent routine and a suitable environment is essential. This includes, this expert points out, “regular nap times according to the baby’s stage of development and a calm nighttime routine. Bedtime in winter is earlier than in summer, so it is also necessary to adjust nap and dinner times.
#mathematical #formula #baby #sleep #time #change
