Sleep 101: Learn about Your Child’s Sleep
Whether you want to understand why your child is struggling to sleep at night, or just want to learn more about the biology of sleep, these articles are a good place to start.
Why You Fall Asleep Part 2: Understanding Your Circadian Rhythm
On the surface of it, the timing of falling asleep seems fairly easy to understand. Once you have been awake for a certain period of time, you become tired and eventually go to sleep. The technical term for increasing sleepiness over time is the homeostatic sleep drive, as I explained in a previous post. However,…
Why You Fall Asleep Part 1: Harnessing Sleep Drive in Children for a Better Bedtime
When I see children or teenagers with sleep difficulties, the first questions in my mind are, “What is bedtime like? What time is it? How long does it take to fall asleep?” Often, one of the best treatments for insomnia is adjusting the timing of bedtime at night. It does not entail any prescriptions or…

Toddler Night Wakings: What Causes Them and How to Fix them
Toddler night wakings are especially painful as they can cry longer than infants, and are harder to reassure than older children. One of the most common causes of night wakings in infants, toddlers, and even older children is inappropriate sleep onset associations. This is a disorder which will respond to behavioral management (or sleep training)….
Restless Leg Syndrome in Children: A Common Cause of Insomnia
Restless leg syndrome in children is surprisingly common, but is frequently missed. If your child is fidgety or has leg pain around bedtime and problems settling down, it’s worth considering this condition. Sleep doctors get restless leg syndrome too When I was a kid, my parents used to avoid giving me Coca-Cola after lunch. Not because they were overly…
“Curtain Calls,” Limit Setting and Bedtime Battles
Behavioral insomnia in children, part 2 “Bedtime” conjures up images of warm milk, cuddles, footie pajamas, and Goodnight Moon. It should be a lovely capstone for parent and child. For some families, however, bedtime is a pitched battle of wills between parent and child. This phenomenon is pretty common and is known as bedtime resistance, but may go by the unwieldy…
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children is both common and serious problem. Although I write a lot about insomnia and sleep training issues, much of my practice concentrates on evaluating and treating children with sleep disordered breathing, the most common type being OSA. OSA is the most important diagnosis which we look for in our…
How Much Sleep Do Kids Need? (With Bonus Grown-Up Info)
As a sleep expert, I understand how important it is for parents and caregivers to ensure their children get enough sleep for optimal health and development. That’s why I created a comprehensive guide on how much sleep kids really need. In this guide, parents will discover the optimal sleep duration for children of all ages…
Wave Goodbye to Sleepless Nights
Struggling with your child's sleep? My FREE Sleep Training Mini Course is your lifeline. Learn actionable steps to improve your family's sleep quality. Subscribe today and say hello to better nights!