Speaking with experts who provide relevant and important information for parents is one of the highlights of my week. Last week, we had an in-depth conversation about sleep, especially for babies and adolescents, with Dr. Sofia Axelrod, a neuroscientist, sleep consultant, and mother of two. Her mentor is the winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
A visionary at heart, Sofia’s interest in the world of sleeping began when she became a mother trying to find a balance while juggling work, motherhood, and family life without losing energy and feeling deprived. She started documenting changes and patterns, which led her to research and find a sleeping method that could work for many families.
How Babies Sleep is an app that helps with sleeping schedules and sleep regressions, and even check-in with when needed.
Sofia and I talked about how life transitions affect sleep, especially in adolescents, and how our inner-clock and lack of sleep can affect our health and emotions. She encourages parents to understand how sleeping works and make sure to ask the right questions when visiting the pediatrician or the clinic.
“The idea that waking a sleeping baby is harmful or bad for them, and that sleep begets sleep, is wrong, and in fact restricting daytime napping in accordance with baby sleep science is one of our most powerful tools to regain much-needed sleep, for the whole family.”
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Here are Sofia’s top suggestions for a good night’s sleep. It’s all in the lighting!
- Day time: Make sure there’s a lot of light coming through. It is proven that a room filled with light during the day can help you sleep better at nite.
- Evening: Dim all the lights! Red light in the baby’s room. No light during the night unless your child is afraid of the dark, then red light is OK.
- For young children: Not too much napping! Use the Kulala App to figure out the optimal schedule for your child 0-6 years
For more information about Sofia’s book and her sleeping products, visit her website and her Instagram.
Thank you, Dr. Axelrod!