One of the trickiest parts of parenting young children is figuring out when to put them to sleep. Miss the window, and your peaceful bedtime might turn into a full-blown meltdown. The secret? Learning to identify your child’s “sleepy sweet spot”—that golden moment when they’re tired enough to fall asleep easily, but not so exhausted that they resist rest altogether.
Here’s how to spot that ideal window and avoid the overtired spiral.
We’ve all been there: your alarm goes off, and you groggily reach over to hit “snooze”—just five more minutes. Maybe even ten. While it feels like a harmless habit (and a small mercy when you’re exhausted), regularly snoozing your alarm might be doing more harm than good to your sleep quality, energy, and overall health.
Here’s why snoozing might be sabotaging your mornings—and what to do instead.
Traveling across time zones can throw your sleep schedule completely off track. That groggy, disoriented feeling you get after a long flight? That’s jet lag—and it can take days to shake. One popular tool many travelers turn to is melatonin, a natural sleep aid that may help reset your internal clock and make the transition smoother.
Here’s how melatonin works, and how to use it effectively to combat jet lag.
Sleep troubles are a common struggle—whether it’s difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling unrested. While many people first try changing habits or using sleep aids, therapy can be a powerful and often overlooked tool to tackle the root causes of sleep problems.
Here’s how therapy can help you get better sleep and wake up refreshed.
Improving your sleep can feel overwhelming—there are so many habits to change, routines to build, and obstacles to overcome. That’s where SMART goals come in. Using this proven goal-setting framework can turn vague intentions like “I want to sleep better” into clear, actionable steps that lead to real results.
Here’s how you can use SMART goals to transform your sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Have you ever watched your peacefully sleeping baby suddenly fling their arms out wide, then pull them back in with a jerk—only to wake themselves up in the process? That’s the startle reflex, a completely normal part of infancy that often disrupts sleep, leaving both babies and parents frustrated and exhausted.
But what exactly is the startle reflex, and what can you do about it? Let’s explore the science behind it, why it happens, and how you can help your baby sleep more soundly despite it.
We all know that a good night’s sleep helps us feel refreshed and ready to take on the day. But did you know that how well you sleep can also influence how you see the world? Sleep doesn’t just affect your energy levels—it plays a key role in shaping your mindset, including whether you tend toward optimism, pessimism, or even cynicism.
Let’s explore how sleep impacts these outlooks and what that means for your mental health and relationships.
Sleeping too little is often discussed, but what about oversleeping—consistently sleeping more than 9 or 10 hours per night? While it might seem like a luxury to sleep in or binge on extra hours of rest, oversleeping can sometimes signal underlying health issues or disrupt your overall well-being.
If you find yourself frequently sleeping longer than intended and still feeling tired or sluggish, it’s worth exploring the causes of oversleeping and what it might mean for your body and mind.
Helping a baby fall asleep—and stay asleep—can feel like one of the biggest challenges of early parenthood. But before babies can drift into dreamland, they first need to feel relaxed, calm, and safe. Creating a soothing, stress-free environment is key to promoting better sleep, and it begins with encouraging relaxation throughout the day and especially before bedtime.
Here’s how to help your baby relax naturally, so they can fall asleep more easily and sleep more soundly.
Sharing a dorm or apartment room in college can be a rewarding experience—new friendships, shared memories, and the excitement of independence. But when it comes to sleep, roommates often have very different habits, preferences, and schedules. Negotiating these differences early on is key to avoiding frustration, resentment, and sleepless nights.
If you and your roommate struggle to align your sleep routines, here are some practical tips to help you find a balance that respects both your needs and keeps the peace.