Sleep researchers who attended last week’s SLEEP 2015 conference in Seattle were fascinated to learn about new genetic targets for narcolepsy in mice, non-drug treatments for insomnia, and why recovering from a week of bad sleep isn’t as simple as sleeping in on the weekend. I was fascinated, too. But as a parent, the most useful […]
Go camping in the mountains for a week, with no artificial light, and your sleep schedule will shift to align with sunset and sunrise—whether you’re a lark or an owl. That’s because bright light is our body’s strongest cue for when to wake and when to sleep. Natural light is four times brighter than electrical […]
“NAP STRUGGLE.” This is the title I’ve scribbled on a sheet of paper, unceremoniously ripped from a spiral notebook, and tacked to my fridge. It’s my latest plan to eliminate the repeated obstacles we have to napping. And to stop spending all dang day on trying to get a nap. The paper says: G says she’s hungry soon after breakfast. Add fat and protein. [If she snacks through […]
Nursing an infant to sleep for the night sounds good, in theory. That’s theory for you. Our baby would appear to conk out while nursing, so I’d attempt to make my escape. I’d slip a pinkie finger into the corner of her mouth to unlatch her and gingerly attempt to transfer her into bed. Immediately, she’d pop awake […]