Episodi

  • Episode 17: Our Sleep Stacks and Routines in 2026

    Episode 17: Our Sleep Stacks and Routines in 2026
    Feb 18 2026
    Episode 17 – Show NotesOur Sleep Routines in 2026 | The Sleep EditCraig and Arielle take a turn in the hot seat this week — sharing their own sleep habits, gear, and personal struggles. From frigid bedrooms and weighted blankets to trazodone, magnesium, and light therapy glasses, this episode is part confessional, part practical guide.They also dig into CBT-I for insomnia, the phenomenon of orthosomnia (when sleep tracking makes your sleep worse), what melatonin actually does at a low dose, and how to think about supplements when the evidence is thin but the risk is low.Timestamps4:23 — Our personal sleep histories6:36 — Restless leg syndrome & childhood sleep anxiety8:50 — Psychophysiologic insomnia & CBT-I explained11:00 — Bedtime boxes & stimulus control for kids12:50 — Sleep tracking: Oura Ring vs. Apple Watch16:20 — Orthosomnia — when tracking makes sleep worse18:32 — How your tracker score affects how you feel the next day19:00 — Sleep environment: cold rooms, darkness, white noise22:52 — Sleep masks, weighted blankets (Bearaby), and pillows27:00 — Light-up alarm clocks (Philips, Hatch)29:00 — AYO light therapy glasses & circadian entrainment32:00 — Nighttime routines: DND, showers, reading34:40 — Why a hot shower helps you sleep (the science)36:00 — Craig's meditation practice & pre-bed habits39:20 — Arielle's history with insomnia & trazodone41:10 — What sleep medications actually do (and don't do)44:17 — Magnesium glycinate — the evidence47:35 — L-theanine — even less evidence, still worth trying?48:11 — Melatonin: Craig's 1mg dose & the heart failure study52:00 — How we're actually sleeping in 2026Key TakeawaysBoth hosts have struggled with sleep throughout their lives — and that's part of why they do this work.Sleep anxiety in children (and adults) responds well to CBT-I; the behavioral components are often more important than the cognitive ones.Sleep trackers are best used to observe trends, not to optimize nightly metrics. Fixating on scores can cause orthosomnia — anxiety that worsens the very sleep it's supposed to measure.A cold bedroom (ideally 60–67°F), darkness, and quiet are the most evidence-based environmental changes you can make.A warm shower or bath before bed works by triggering a drop in core body temperature — the direction of change matters, not just the temperature itself.Magnesium glycinate and L-theanine have limited but plausible supporting data; more importantly, they're safe at typical doses. Use third-party tested brands.Melatonin is a hormone — more is not better. Craig uses 1mg. A 2024 conference abstract linking long-term melatonin use to heart failure has significant methodological limitations, was not peer-reviewed, and is not cause for alarm at low doses in otherwise healthy adults.Trazodone is a reasonable long-term option for some people with chronic insomnia. It's not habit-forming, increases slow-wave sleep, and has a stable side-effect profile — but it's still a tool, not a substitute for good sleep habits. Note: AYO glasses recommend a 20-minute morning session (not 10 minutes as mentioned in the episode).LinksCraig's gear & supplementsAYO Light Therapy GlassesBearaby Weighted BlanketOura RingMagnesium Glycinate 500mgNature's Trove L-TheanineMelatonin 1mgConsumerLab.com — third-party supplement testing (subscription ~$60/yr)Craig's posts & calculatorsMagnesium for Kids' Sleep – Dr. CanapariMelatonin & Heart Failure Study – Dr. CanapariMelatonin Dosing Calculator for Children – Dr. CanapariClinicians & resources mentionedDr. Shelby Harris – CBT-I specialistDr. Lynelle Schneeberg – Become Your Child's Sleep Coach: The Bedtime Doctor's 5-Step Guide, Ages 3–10Book on AmazonOrthosomnia – original paper by Dr. Kelly Baron (J Clin Sleep Med, 2017)CBT-I Coach App (VA) — free, useful for teens 12+ and adultsArielle's website & resourcesExpect to SleepFree 24-Hour Sleep Guide (Arielle)Contact Listener questions: sleepeditpod@gmail.com
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    51 min
  • Episode 15: Napping Spectacular!

    Episode 15: Napping Spectacular!
    Oct 6 2025
    Why do some toddlers nap like champs while others refuse entirely? In Part 1 of our Napping Spectacular, Craig and Arielle unpack what the science says about total sleep needs, how nap patterns change across infancy and early childhood, and the very real “art” of troubleshooting naps at home. We cover when to drop naps, how brain development (especially the hippocampus) affects nap transitions, what to do about short naps, and how to keep daytime sleep from stealing restorative overnight sleep. We also talk through safe approaches to contact naps and why it’s normal for newborns to have unpredictable naps and periods of crying.Key takeawaysThink in 24 hours: aim to balance daytime sleep with restorative overnight sleep.AASM consensus ranges: infants 4–12 mo (12–16 h), toddlers 1–2 y (11–14 h), preschoolers 3–5 y (10–13 h), school-age 6–12 y (9–12 h), teens 13–18 y (8–10 h).Nap transitions are tied to brain maturity; as memory systems develop, many preschoolers naturally nap less.Typical goals for many infants: at least two naps of ~1 hour each and ~10 hours overnight (individual needs vary).Independent sleep skills are the linchpin for extending naps beyond a single 30–45 minute sleep cycle.Watch sleepy cues, but remember boredom can masquerade as tiredness in older infants.Contact napping can be soothing, but it’s risky if the caregiver is truly exhausted—prioritize safe sleep.Newborn naps are erratic; you can practice gentle routines, but you can’t “schedule” a newborn.Consistency across naps and nights helps babies learn faster than a mix-and-match approach.LinksNapping spectacular part 2CIO episode of the Sleep EditDr. Canapari’s article on Le Pause Sleep trainingPeriod of purple cryingDr. Canapari's article on nappingDr. Canapari's article on sleep needs in childrenDr. Canapari articles on the science of why children stop nappingArielle's websiteChapters00:00 Intro and disclaimer01:10 Why naps feel harder than nights; personal stories03:00 What parents often misunderstand about naps04:00 How much sleep kids need (AASM consensus)06:00 Why naps matter for mood and learning06:40 Brain development and nap transitions (hippocampus)07:00 Average nap duration by age; variability is normal09:10 How many naps per day; typical progression through early childhood12:00 Galland review; why transitions are tricky in real life14:00 The “art” of troubleshooting naps15:00 Naps vs. nights: balance the 24-hour total18:00 Targets for infants; prioritizing overnight sleep22:00 High vs. low sleep-need babies23:00 Nap routines vs. bedtime routines; wind-down for toddlers25:00 How to get longer naps: schedule fit and independent sleep27:00 Evidence-based infant sleep tips (INSIGHT and SAAF principles)29:00 Reading sleep cues without getting trapped by rigid schedules30:30 Overtiredness vs. boredom; case example34:00 Can you sleep-train for naps but not nights? Why consistency wins36:00 Typical nap times by age; capping late naps39:00 Newborn nap reality check40:00 Contact napping and safety42:00 Period of PURPLE Crying and parental stress45:30 Wrap-up and preview of Part 2References Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D’Ambrosio C, et al. Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the recommended amount of sleep for healthy children: methodology and discussion. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2016;12(11):1549-1561.Spencer RMC, Riggins T. Contributions of memory and brain development to the bioregulation of naps and nap transitions in early childhood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2022;119(11):e2114326119.Staton S, et al. Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0–12 years. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2020;50:101247.Galland BC, Taylor BJ, Elder DE, Herbison P. Normal sleep patterns in infants and children: A systematic review of observational studies. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2012;16(3):213-222.Horváth K. Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Frontiers in Psychology. 2018;9:1238.Wolke D, Bilgin A, Samara M. Fussing and crying durations and prevalence of colic in infants: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2017;185:55-61.e4.Lavner JA, Hohman EE, Beach SRH, Stansfield BK, Savage JS. Effects of a responsive parenting intervention among Black families on infant sleep: Secondary analysis of the Sleep SAAF randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(3):e236276.Paul IM, Savage JS, Anzman-Frasca S, Marini ME, Mindell JA, Birch LL. INSIGHT Responsive Parenting Intervention and infant sleep. Pediatrics. 2016;138(1):e20160762.ContactListener questions: sleepeditpod@gmail.com
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    47 min