Daylight saving time ends this Sunday. Here’s how to prepare your family.

For parents with little children, experts say small actions can help reduce disruption

A student walked to school along Talbot Avenue near Franklin Field in Dorchester in 2021.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

For most of us, the end of daylight saving time this Sunday will bring a welcome opportunity for an extra hour of sleep. That’s especially true for teenagers, many of whom are chronically sleep-deprived thanks to early school start times and changing circadian rhythms that have turned them into night owls, sleep experts say.

But for those with young children, the time change can present unique challenges. When the clock strikes 2 a.m. this Sunday, and the clocks move back an hour, young children probably won’t notice. But their parents will, when the young ones wake up an hour early and roust the rest of the household.

The Globe spoke with sleep experts and pediatricians about what parents can do to minimize disruption. Here are some tips:

Gradually begin shifting your child’s sleep schedule ahead of time

It’s late in the game, but not too late to begin preparing, said Dr. Kiran Maski, a child and adolescent neurologist affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital pediatric sleep center. She recommends spreading out the bedtime delay over multiple nights by pushing bedtime back in 15- to 30-minute increments every night until reaching a goal time.

“We recommend parents start putting their children to bed a little bit later at least a few days before daylight saving hits,” she said. “Depending on the age of the child, you might not want to have excessively long naps on those days, too.” Maski recommends curtailing the nap to 60 or 90 minutes, depending on the age of the child so that there’s not too much sleep during the day. “That can help with the adjustment,” she said.

Take advantage of light

Light exposure is among the most powerful tools available to reset circadian rhythms, said Dr. Kevin Gipson, a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine physician who specializes in the care of infants, children, and adolescents at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. He recommends using this to your advantage.

“That means minimizing your bright light exposure in the evenings and maximizing some — or at least getting some real true bright light exposure — in the mornings in the daytime; that’s really important,” he says.

Bright lights can also be used to help keep a sleepy child awake until they reach their normal bedtime, if they are having trouble adjusting to the time change, added Maski, though she suggested dimming the lights at least half an hour before bedtime.

Conversely, blackout curtains can prove useful to keep out light during the mornings.

Keep routines consistent

Shifting meal times, daily activities, and evening routines back an hour after Sunday to keep them consistent with the new time can help signal to a child that the time has changed. Calm family activities in the evening can also help pave the way for bedtime.

Gipson recommends a consistent bedtime routine even when the child is not going through a transition.

“From a health perspective, brushing your teeth is a good last thing to do,” Gipson said. “But there’s no rules. It can be whatever’s comfortable and loving for the family. There’s nothing wrong with a cuddle or being in bed reading or doing something quiet.”

Be kind to yourself

Transitions can be difficult for small children and families alike. And despite the best efforts of parents, small children in many cases are sometimes just not tired when bedtime rolls around — or in the morning, when their parents would rather sleep in.

“Even though as adults you and I are like, ‘Oh, great, we got an extra hour of sleep,’ your kid intrinsically might just be like, ‘My brain tells me it’s time to be awake,’ so they’re awake,” he said. “That could be challenging for families.”

Children are perceptive and often pick up on stress, especially when it leads to spousal bickering and tension. That can make them anxious about bedtime, which is why it’s important to try to practice patience, Gipson said.