Clocks Go Back 2026: How to Handle Baby & Toddler Sleep Tips

The clocks go back next weekend. At 2am on Sunday 25 October, 2am becomes 1am and the whole country gets an extra hour in bed.

Well. The whole country without small children does.

If you've got a baby or toddler, you'll know they don't own a watch. Their body clock wakes them at the same time it always does. The kitchen clock just says it's an hour earlier. So your lovely 6am riser is suddenly a 5am riser. Nobody asked for that.

Don't panic. It will be fine. Most little ones adjust to the clock change within a few days, and a bit of planning makes it much easier. I'm Nicky, a baby and child sleep consultant in London with 25 years of experience. Here's everything you need to handle the clocks going back, with real example times so you're not left guessing.

When do the clocks go back in 2026?

Sunday 25 October, at 2am. Your phone will sort itself out. The oven, the car and the toddler clock will not.

My tip: change every clock in the house on Saturday night once the little ones are in bed. That way you wake up on Sunday already on the new time, with no maths before coffee.

The good news about the clock change

Yes, there is some. Honestly.

Bedtime gets easier. Once the clocks go back, it's dark well before bedtime. No more "but it's still daytime!" from a toddler who has a point. Darkness helps little bodies wind down, and it's much easier to make the bedroom feel like night when it actually is night.

Autumn mornings are on your side. In June the sun is up before 5am and blasting through every gap in the blind. Now the mornings are dark, which gives early wakers less of a reason to think the day has started.

Late sleepers get a free reset. If your little one's bedtime has crept towards 8pm over the summer and you'd quite like 7pm back, congratulations. Do nothing. The clock change does it for you.

The not so good news

If your baby already wakes at 6am, the clock change makes it 5am. If they already wake at 5am, it becomes 4am. That's not a morning. That's a night with ambitions.

This is why it's worth starting now, not on Sunday at 4:52am.

How do I prepare my baby for the clocks going back?

There are three ways to do it. Pick the one that suits your little one's age and naps, then stick with it. All the examples below use a 7pm bedtime and 6am wake-up.

Method 1: Little by little (best for babies on two or more naps)

Start on Wednesday 21 October and push the whole day 15 minutes later each day. Not just bedtime: naps and meals too.

• Wednesday: bedtime 7:15pm

• Thursday: bedtime 7:30pm

• Friday: bedtime 7:45pm

• Saturday: bedtime 8pm

• Sunday: the clocks go back, so 8pm is now 7pm. You're back to normal.

So if your baby usually has their first nap at 8:30am, Wednesday's nap is 8:45am, Thursday's is 9am, and so on. Small steps, no big shock.

Don't worry if they don't sleep later in the morning straight away. Keep going. It catches up.

Method 2: Split the difference (best for little ones on one or two naps)

This one is for children you know won't cope with a full hour shift.

• Saturday: put them to bed 30 minutes later, at 7:30pm.

• Sunday to Tuesday: run the day 30 minutes early on the new clock. If they normally nap at 12:30pm, nap at 12pm. Bedtime is 6:30pm.

• Wednesday: move naps and bedtime back to their usual times. Bedtime 7pm. Job done.

It meets them halfway, which is sometimes all a 14-month-old is willing to negotiate.

Method 3: Do nothing (best for older toddlers and preschoolers)

Pretend it isn't happening. Hide from it. On Sunday morning, go by the new time for everything: meals, naps, bedtime. Older children usually adjust within a few days because they're tired enough by bedtime to go down without a fuss.

If you use a toddler clock, here's the trick. If it's set to 6am and they wake at 5am, that's an hour of staring at it. Set it to 5:30am for the first few days, then move it 10 to 15 minutes later every couple of days until you're back at 6am.

What about newborns?

Their circadian rhythms are still developing, so they're generally less tied to fixed clock times. So just carry on following their cues on the new time.

Tips that make the clock change easier (whichever method you choose)

Get light in early. Open the curtains as soon as the day starts and get outside in the morning if you can. Daylight helps their body clock settle into the new time.

Keep the bedroom properly dark. Blackout blinds earn their money this week. Any light sneaking in at 5am is basically an invitation to get up.

Treat anything before 6am like night time. Keep it calm, quiet and dim. If you start the day at 5am with the big light on, CBeebies and breakfast, you've just told their body that 5am is morning. It will remember.

Watch the naps. When daytime sleep and bedtime aren't balanced, early waking can become more common. If they're falling apart by mid-morning, bring the nap forward a little rather than pushing through.

Be consistent. Whatever you choose, stick with it for the week. Switching methods on Tuesday because Monday was rough just confuses everyone.

Already dealing with early waking? Start now

If 5am is already your normal, the clock change isn't the real problem. It just makes the existing one an hour worse.

Early waking usually has a reason behind it. It could be the timing of bedtime, the length or timing of naps, how your little one falls asleep at the start of the night, or something in the room. Tips like "keep it dark" help, but on their own they're a bit like being told to turn the kettle on. You still need the water, the teabag and someone to plug it in.

That's the bit I sort out. I work with families across London, from Islington to Hampstead, as a hands-on baby sleep consultant. I come into your home, get to know your little one, and work out what's actually causing the early starts. No generic plan off the internet. You can find out more about my in-home baby sleep support in London.

If you're not sure what you need yet, start with a free call and we'll have a chat. You can also message me on WhatsApp on +44 7379 156166.

Clock change FAQs

How long does it take a baby to adjust to the clock change?

Most babies and toddlers adjust within a few days to a week. Consistency is the thing that helps most, so pick one method and stick to it.

Should I move feeds when the clocks go back?

If your baby is on a routine, move meals and milk feeds along with naps and bedtime so the whole day shifts together. Younger babies who feed on demand can just carry on following their cues.

My baby is still waking an hour early a week later. What now?

Keep the room dark and keep anything before 6am calm and boring. If it's still happening after a couple of weeks, it may be an early waking pattern rather than the clock change. That's worth looking at properly, so get in touch.

Do I need to do anything for a newborn?

Not really. Newborns haven't developed a set body clock yet, so just follow their cues on the new time.

When do the clocks go forward again?

Sunday 28 March 2027, when we lose an hour instead.

That one's a different story. I'll see you in March.