The temporal patterns of ecosystem service benefits from ecological restoration in arid and semi-arid regions remain poorly understood. This study, focusing on China's Northern Sand-Prevention Belt (NSPB), systematically identifies 1,093 ecological restoration spaces from 1990 to 2020 and evaluates the dynamics of water conservation, carbon sequestration, and sand fixation services under different restoration measures. The results demonstrate clear temporal divergences among services: Water conservation followed an "initial increase followed by decrease" pattern, peaking at 3 to 5 years; carbon sequestration exhibited a "slowly rising" trend, requiring 10 to 15 years to reach maximum capacity; and sand fixation showed "initial suppression followed by enhancement", becoming substantial only after 8 to 10 years. Restoration measures also displayed distinct response trajectories. Grassland restoration offered immediate benefits, cropland-to-forest conversion showed a 7-year lag in carbon sequestration relative to water gains, afforestation presented bimodal peaks at 3 and >10 years, and wetland restoration required over 15 years to manifest measurable benefits. Furthermore, climate and elevation strongly mediated these effects. Low-elevation areas facilitated faster service emergence, whereas high-elevation regions experienced delays of approximately 8 years, which could be mitigated by increased precipitation and temperature. Based on these findings, a tripartite strategy integrating spatial allocation, temporal optimization, and adaptive management is proposed to enhance restoration efficacy in dryland regions.