Ep. 271: 6 Fundamental Habits for Better Sleep with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown (Re-Air)

We are re-airing episode 180 this week in which we are joined by Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown to take a look at practical, at-home approaches to help ensure that children and the entire family enjoy better-quality sleep!

As a reminder, Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown is a triple board-certified sleep medicine physician and pediatric pulmonologist, and she shares some invaluable insights into the science of sleep and provides valuable guidance for improving sleep quality among neurodivergent children and their families.

To help families develop healthier sleep patterns, she presents the CREATE acronym, highlighting six essential components of effective sleep hygiene: Consistency, Routines, Environment, Assigned bed for sleep, Technology management, and Elimination of disruptions. She also shares some inspiring examples of families who have adopted these practices and experienced significant improvements in their sleep.

Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or simply looking for ways to improve your own sleep or that of someone you love, this episode is absolutely worth revisiting or listening to for the first time, as it offers incredibly practical insights to help establish healthier sleep habits and enhance overall wellbeing!

Show Notes: [4:01] – Dr. Afolabi-Brown explains the amount of sleep that is recommended by age group. [5:24] – It's not enough to consider the quantity of sleep; there is a lot that could impact sleep quality. [8:13] – Neurodivergent children may exhibit daytime sleepiness, and Dr. Afolabi-Brown describes some of the things that you might notice. [10:52] – Insufficient and poor quality of sleep affects our physical health and brain health and could even cause social/emotional issues. [12:25] – Sleep is healing and restorative. [13:28] – We can change our relationship with sleep by understanding its importance. [15:50] – CREATE is an acronym for the six fundamental habits for good sleep hygiene. [16:09] – C: Consistency [17:01] – R: Routines [17:39] – E: Environment [18:22] – A: Assigned bed for sleep [18:25] – T: Technology [18:44] – E: Eliminate [20:15] – Choose small things to change first, and add more as you get used to them. [22:54] – Neurodivergent children need even more structure than neurotypical children especially when it comes to sleep routines. [25:28] – Hear some strategies for calming a busy brain at night. [28:30] - Dr. Afolabi-Brown explains when sleep terrors warrant intervention and emphasizes family history, adequate sleep, and specialist evaluation. [30:52] – Dr. Afolabi-Brown shares the story of a successful sleep intervention that changed sleep quality for an entire family. Links and Related Resources:

• Episode 160: The Sleep Deprived Teen with Lisa Lewis

• Episode 180: 6 Fundamental Habits for Better Sleep with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown

• Episode 148: How Sleep Affects Academic Performance and Mood

• 5 Reasons Sleep Matters for Children

• 8 Ways Teenagers Suffer When They Don't Get Enough Sleep

Join Our Community:

• Substack

Connect with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown:

• The Restful Sleep Place Website

• @restfulsleepmd on Instagram

• Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown on LinkedIn

• Dr. Funke Brown on YouTube