Naps help babies learn and remember. In fact, babies may require timely naps to transfer new information and skills into long-term memory. Does this mean we should be forcing our babies to take lots of naps? No. But we should treat naps with respect…and realize that the last hour (or so) before sleep is prime time for learning.
Is your child afraid of the dark? Is your child’s fear severe enough to be considered a phobia? Here’s what research tells us about the signs and causes…and how to help kids to overcome their fears.
Night terrors in children are surprisingly common, though not as prevalent as nightmares. How do we tell the difference, and what can parents do to cope?
This simple technique for reducing nightmares in children gives kids a concrete way to think about taking control.
If you learn about circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, you can make sense of your newborn sleep, and lay the groundwork for easier nights.
How long do babies sleep at night? How many naps do babies take during the day? And what about night wakings? This evidence-based baby sleep chart explains the typical range of variation for babies up to 24 months old.
Most infant sleep problems are caused by behavioral factors, but sometimes there are medical reasons why a baby won’t sleep.
Dream feeding is designed to reduce sleep disruption. But for maximum effect, parents should combine it with other sleep-friendly practices.
When parents hear about infant sleep training, they often think of babies left alone in their cribs to cry themselves to sleep. But there are alternatives to such an approach.
Insomnia might sound like an adult problem, but many kids experience insomnia symptoms, and new research suggests that most symptomatic children will continue to have trouble in their teen years or beyond. How do experts define insomnia? Who is at higher risk for developing symptoms? And what can we do to prevent lasting sleep problems? Here’s an overview of the evidence.
Can a lack of sleep cause stress? Research confirms that we experience more stress the day after a poor night’s sleep. And the effects might be particularly noticeable for parents struggling to care for multiple children while holding down a job.
Sleep loss is linked with weight gain, but why? Experiments suggest that sleep restriction prompts kids to seek out sugary snacks and drinks.