Healthy Parenting Handbook with Katie Kimball 078: How to Sleep Better: Practical Advice for Families from Sleep Specialist Dr. Whitney Roban
Jul 22, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Whitney Roban, a family and sleep specialist, shares her journey from psychologist to founder of Solve Our Sleep. She reveals how to determine your ideal sleep needs, the reasons behind teens' late-night struggles, and practical tips for improving sleep routines at home. Dr. Roban highlights the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on mood and behavior, while emphasizing simple changes to create a restful bedtime environment. Get ready to transform your family's relationship with sleep!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How Dr. Roban Became A Sleep Consultant
- Dr. Whitney Roban transitioned from cognitive behavioral psychology into a family sleep practice after observing widespread child sleep problems.
- She began advising parents in mommy groups and then opened a family sleep practice around 15 years ago.
Pandemic Dramatically Raised Sleep Debt
- Sleep deprivation rose from about 30% pre-pandemic to roughly 78% during the pandemic.
- Increased stress and routine disruption made sleep problems far more widespread.
Teen Caught Up On Sleep During Lockdown
- Katie observed her teen sleeping later during school closures and then naturally shifting to earlier wake times after catching up on sleep.
- She used a household rule to avoid waking a sleeping teenager unless necessary to preserve mental health.