Daylight saving time ending disrupting toddler sleep advice: Blockout curtains or blinds

Aussie parents of toddlers, how are you actually coping with daylight saving time ending? 

For many parents of young kids, the time shift is hitting hard, and I think we can all admit to feeling like you’ve lived a whole day before 10am, thanks to the early wake ups from the 6am sunrise. 

Those who were part of the 5am club have unfortunately found themselves in the 4am club and it is rough. 

There is one quick change you can make that could lead to better mornings for everyone, and it’s a very simple hack: Blackout curtains. 

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The big issue is when little ones start to stir, their room might be bright enough to have them thinking that this means of course it’s time to wake up.

So, quickest way to combat these early sunrises and get everyone sleeping a bit longer? Blackout blinds or curtains. 

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By keeping their room dark you’re giving them a better environment to promote sleep and hopefully adjust to the new time quicker. 

It also keeps their room dark, which works for naps and helping establish a bedtime routine when it might still be light outside. 

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The best part is you don’t have to spend hundreds on blackout curtains to transform their bedroom either, especially when it won’t be long until the 6am sunrises get later and the days get shorter. 

There are options, like a portable blackout blind which uses suction cups to stick to the wall around the window – creating total darkness, or rolls of blockout window film which can be cut to shape and peeled off when you don’t need it anymore. 

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Both are great options for those who are renting, or looking for something that will work during travel as well. 

But those who want to go down the curtain route, stores like Spotlight have great options for blackout curtains which won’t break the bank. They can also help keep the heat in too, which is a bonus with winter around the corner.

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After struggling with trying to get my daughter to nap in a bedroom that had suddenly become too bright, blockout curtains changed everything for us.

I got a set for my bedroom too and it’s actually made a real difference to the quality of sleep both my husband and I are having too. 

Since the clocks changed on Sunday morning, she’s been happily sleeping past 7am – which I am crediting to her room staying so dark.

The addition of white noise has also been a lifesaver with the end of daylight saving and the birds around our place going nuts from 5am.

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