My second child has black circles under his eyes in all his photos from birth to age four. He slept as little as possible and willed himself through most days with all the angst and irritability of any insomniac. At age four, he finally started sleeping and quickly became a new person. He learned more, laughed more, talked (a lot) and was a joy to be around. Was it just the sleep? No, but it made a huge difference. No more nervous anxiety in the mornings, no more dark circles, and finally, he seemed to find real moments of peace.

When kids sleep poorly, parents sleep poorly, and the entire health and happiness of the household are affected. When you sleep badly, you’re obviously tired and grumpy, but there are much more worrying long-term effects that can include malformed jaws (in children), weight gain, mood disorders, and cognitive impairment. But what can you do?

Listen & Learn:

How poor sleep decreases leptin (satiety hormone) and increases ghrelin (hunger hormone)
How bad sleep is correlated with hedonistic eating (think Netflix+ Haagen-Dazs binges)
How attachment parenting may not be the best approach for you
Why “cry it out” techniques are not for everyone and not for every stage of development
How to discern what you can and should control and what you should simply let go of

Links & Resources:

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Craig is a pediatrician at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in New Haven, CT, specializing in the care of children with breathing and sleep problems. He is boarded in Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonology, and Sleep Medicine. His book, It’s Never Too Late to Sleep Train, is available on Amazon or on his website.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

Eat seaweed

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378: Kids Sleep, Parents Sleep - We All Need to Sleep! with Craig Canapari, MD