A method for controlling a switching regulator includes defining a waiting time during which a trigger signal corresponding to a recirculation signal of the switching regulator is ignored holding a control switch in an open condition, and detecting a number of local valleys of the recirculation signal during the waiting time. In particular, defining the waiting time is performed for each switching cycle by adding a first value, which is determined on the basis of a load on the regulator, to a second variable value, which is proportional to the number valleys detected during the waiting time of the preceding switching cycle.