August 21, 2025 • 18 mins
Ever wondered why bedtime turns your sweet child into a professional negotiator? Sleep isn’t just rest—it’s the foundation of your child’s growth, learning, and emotional wellbeing.
In this episode, Dr. Kelly Montgomery, pediatrician at MedLink Georgia, explains how sleep fuels physical health, sharpens memory and learning, and helps regulate mood and behavior. She also reveals how lack of sleep can disguise itself as hyperactivity, food cravings, or meltdowns—making it easy to miss the real issue.
Dr. Montgomery offers practical tips for creating effective bedtime routines, avoiding common sleep mistakes, and recognizing the signs your child isn’t getting enough rest. Whether you’re battling toddler bedtime standoffs, focus struggles in school, or a teen’s late-night schedule, her advice is realistic, compassionate, and immediately useful.
For personalized support, schedule an appointment with Dr. Montgomery at MedLink Georgia’s Colbert or Oconee offices.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the MedLink Health Connections
podcast, where we connect you totrusted help tips from experts
at MedLink Georgia.
I'm your host, angela, andtoday we're talking about a
topic every parent can relate tosleep.
How much do kids really need,why do they fight bedtime and
what can you do to help yourchild and yourself sleep better?
We're joined by Dr KellyMontgomery, a pediatrician at
(00:23):
our Colbert and Oconee officeshere at MedLink Georgia.
Dr Montgomery has been caringfor kids from birth to 18 years
at MedLink since 2018.
She's fluent in Spanish,passionate about preventative
care and a strong advocate formental health, inclusivity and
positivity.
Whether it's vaccines, wellvisits or just surviving bedtime
(00:43):
, she brings heart and expertiseto every visit, and today she's
bringing it to you, drMontgomery.
Before we dive into today'stopic, a lot of parents wonder
what's the difference between apediatrician and a family
medicine doctor, and how do theyknow which one is right for?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
their child To start with.
Thank you so much for having meon.
I'm excited to talk and this isa great way to start the
conversation because every nowand then I'll get this question.
At MedLink we have familymedicine providers and then
we'll have a team of about 10 to12 pediatricians at all our
different clinics.
So I usually say it this wayFamily doctors care for everyone
(01:22):
, from babies to grandparents.
They have broad training, whilepediatricians specialize in kids
, from newborns to young adults.
Our training is focused solelyon childhood health, development
and childhood illnesses.
So I would say the keydifference is focus.
Family doctors see all ages,while pediatricians only see
(01:43):
kids, and this also meanspediatricians have more in-depth
expertise in childhoodconditions and we tend to have
more training in how tocommunicate with children and
how to perform a child-centeredexam.
So while I love all our MedLinkproviders and our family
medicine doctors, they are greatfor one-stop care for the whole
(02:05):
family, especially forgenerally healthy kids.
I do encourage you to considerseeing a pediatrician if your
family prefers specializedknowledge in childhood health,
if your child has a complexmedical condition or if you're
just looking for a child-focusedapproach, but both are great
(02:26):
looking for a child-focusedapproach, but both are great,
awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Thank you so much for clearing that up.
Why don't we jump right intotoday's topic sleep To start us
off?
Why is sleep so important forkids?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
So sleep is absolutely fundamental for
children.
It's not just about feelingrested.
Think of it as essential fuelfor their development in every
way, and I typically look at itin three broad categories.
I'd start with physically.
During deep sleep, our children, their bodies, release crucial
(02:56):
growth hormones.
This is when they literallygrow taller and build strong
muscles and bones.
Sleep also plays a vital rolein strengthening their immune
system.
When they're well rested, theirbodies are much better equipped
to fight off infections andillnesses.
It's a time for repair andrestoration of all their
physical symptoms after a busyday of playing and learning.
(03:18):
Then the next big section iscognitively.
Sleep is prime time for braindevelopment.
It's when their brains processall the information they've
taken in during the day,consolidating memories and
solidifying learning.
So adequate sleep is directlylinked to improved attention
span, improved concentration,better problem-solving skills
(03:39):
and overall, better brainfunction.
Think of it as the brain doingits nightly housekeeping and
organizing files while we sleep.
And then, lastly, emotional andbehaviorally who hasn't had a
bad night's sleep?
And just the world just kind ofseems upside down?
Sufficient sleep has a hugeimpact on a child's emotional
regulation.
(03:59):
Well-rested kids tend to bemore patient, less irritable and
better able to manage theiremotions.
Lack of sleep can show up asincreased moodiness, frustration
, hyperactivity and evenbehaviors that can sometimes be
mistaken for ADHD.
It's like their emotionalthermostat works much better
when they've had enough sleep.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Wow, okay.
So building on that, how muchsleep should children be getting
at different stages of growth?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
This is a common question I'll get at a child's
well-child check and the answervaries by age.
The American Academy ofPediatric breaks it down into
age groups.
So for infants you can expect12 to 16 hours including naps.
For toddlers that's ages 1 to 3, we can expect 11 to 14 hours
(04:50):
including naps.
Preschoolers ages 3 to 5,they'll get about 10 to 13 hours
.
Some preschoolers are stilltaking naps, others have grown
out of their nap stage.
As long as they're getting thatsleep overnight, that's fine.
Then our school-age childrenabout 9 to 12 hours per night,
and teenagers should be getting8 to 10 hours per night.
(05:13):
But these are guidelines.
Individual needs can vary.
So I usually tell families justpay attention to your child's
cues.
A well-rested child willtypically wake up relatively
easily and be alert and engagedthroughout the day.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Okay, so kind of also going off of that.
What are some of the signs thata let me restart that Kind of
going off of that?
What are some of the signs thatyour child isn't getting enough
?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
sleep.
There are several signs thatyour child might be sleep
deprived, so I'll go throughthem.
In order To start with daytimesleepiness, I think that one's
kind of the obvious one.
But look beyond just yawning itcan also appear as sluggish
your child zoning out or fallingasleep in the car or during
quiet activities.
Then there's the irritable andmoody child.
(06:08):
They're consistently cranky,easily frustrated and has
frequent emotional outbursts.
Consistently cranky, easilyfrustrated and has frequent
emotional outbursts.
Hyperactivity can also be asign that they're not getting
enough sleep, which this isparadoxical.
You wouldn't expect this in asleepy child, but this is
actually their bodies trying tocompensate for the lack of rest.
(06:28):
Sometimes our kids will havedifficulty concentrating.
Trouble focusing on tasks,following instructions and
remembering things can be a signof insufficient sleep.
This can certainly impact theirschool performance and you
might be hearing from theteacher that things are kind of
changing in the classroom.
A younger child might haveincreased clinginess or
(06:50):
meltdowns.
They might be more emotionallysensitive and having those
intense temper tantrums.
And then, as I mentioned before, frequent illnesses.
If your child seems to begetting sick more often, a lack
of sleep could be contributingto having just not as strong of
an immune system.
(07:10):
And lastly, what we're seeing alot is there's new research
that our appetite hormoneincreases.
So what you might see is thatincreased appetite for unhealthy
foods.
We start seeing the gremlinhormone kind of make that surge
and our child might be cravingsugary and ultra processed foods
(07:31):
, which we know isn't healthy.
So if you're noticing severalof these signs, it's probably
worth talking to your familydoctor or your pediatrician
about your child's sleep habits.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
A common challenge some parents may face is bedtime
resistance.
Is it normal for kids to resistbedtime and how can parents
handle that?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yes.
So this is probably what I talkabout most with my families.
Sleep questions will come upand of course, the parents will
talk to me about bedtimeresistance.
It's incredibly common,especially in the younger kids
Think toddler and preschool age.
So several reasons for this.
(08:11):
One is that developmental stage.
Young children are naturallycurious.
They don't want to miss out onanything.
It's almost like FOMO, thatfear of missing out.
They feel like bedtime is anend to all the fun for the day.
And then there's the separationanxiety.
Some children just experienceanxiety about being separated
(08:31):
from their parents at night andthey'll need that reassurance.
There's also the desire forcontrol and independence in our
young children, and bedtimebecomes a battleground where
they test boundaries and theywant to assert their
independence.
And there's the lack ofroutines.
I discuss routines a lot withmy patient's parents.
(08:53):
An inconsistent bedtime routinecan make it so much harder for
children to wind down and fortheir brains and bodies to
understand when it's time tosleep.
Our brains need a routine andthese sleep associations help
them to know when it's time toprepare the body to get into bed
.
The body to get into bed Um, Ihave a couple more.
(09:19):
And then overtiredness can alsobe an obstacle to sleep.
Ironically, an overtired childcan actually have more
difficulty falling asleep.
When we're really, really tired, we'll have a surge in this
stress hormone called cortisoland that makes it harder for our
bodies to kind of wind down andstart the sleep process.
And then the last thing is I'llseparate from our school-aged
children, our adolescents, ourteens.
(09:41):
They'll develop somethingcalled adolescent sleep onset
disorder.
This is a teen that isconsistently having trouble
falling asleep at a reasonabletime and that can just be due to
a natural biological shift intheir sleep-wake cycle.
So I always tell parents it'snot the teen being resistant,
(10:01):
it's a little bit of biology.
But on top of that they'll haveacademic pressures, they might
be overscheduled, and then it'sjust the use of electronics and
being on their phone and socialmedia that can suppress our
hormone melatonin, which helpsour body know that it's time to
fall asleep.
So I would say about 60, 60% ofmy teen patients report
(10:24):
disordered sleep and we talkabout that a lot in clinic as
well.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So you mentioned a little bit about routine.
What would you say a healthybedtime routine looks like.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, it's a great question.
Again, this is probably thebulk of my time when I talk
about sleep and sleep disorders.
Sleep troubles and sleeptraining is talking about that
routine.
So that consistent bedtimeroutine is going to be key for a
child of any age.
This is a predictable sequenceof calming activities that
(11:00):
signals to the child's brainthat it's time to wind down, so
that routine can look like justsetting a wind down time.
30 to 60 minutes before bed.
This is when you start totransition away from active play
and shut off all screens Forsome families.
I talk to them that if they liketo take their bath at night,
(11:21):
this bath time can be veryrelaxing and start to signal to
the brain it's time to slow downand get ready for bed.
Brushing teeth and getting PJson these are also essential
hygiene steps and good cues forsleep associations for a little
one's brain.
Quiet activities can also help,like listening to music.
(11:45):
A quiet conversation andreading a story.
Together can all be really goodfor just settling down and
getting ready for bed.
Together can all be really goodfor just settling down and
getting ready for bed.
Then the environment dimmingthe lights.
This creates a sleep-inducingatmosphere.
(12:06):
Sometimes families will askabout sound machines.
So turning on your soundmachine can cue your brain that
it's time for bed.
But I will say avoid anybackground TVs or using music.
Our brains continue to listento the TV.
The brain loves to stay withthe story and follow the story,
and it loves music because itlikes to predict patterns.
So we don't want our brains tobe on while we're trying to
(12:28):
sleep.
We want our brains to rest aswell.
So opt for white noise ifyou're using sound machines, and
then you can give your littleone a comfort item like a
stuffed animal and then say yourgoodnight and tuck your child
in and leave the room.
Once they are tucked in, youleave, and if they call you out
again or they ask you to comeback, you can respond calmly.
(12:51):
But keep it brief.
You don't want a lengthyinteraction because that's going
to disrupt all the work you'vedone on that sleep routine.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Okay, what would you say are some common
sleep-related mistakes thatparents might not be aware of?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
inconsistent bedtimes and wait times.
I know for some families wejust, you know, get busy.
We have kids that are ofdifferent ages, involved in
different afterschool activitiesor um, we have multiple
caregivers and adults that areworking, and so if we're working
later hours that can contributeto inconsistent bedtimes.
But if you can do your best togive your child that consistent
(13:46):
bedtime and wake time, that'llreally help.
Also, just trying to minimizescreen times before bed.
Another one that parents don'tthink of is using bed as
punishment.
This creates a negativeassociation.
So we don't want to be tellingour kids if you continue to do
that, you're going straight tobed, because we want bed to be
(14:06):
associated with good sleep,restful sleep, restorative sleep
, calming and relaxingassociations, not negative
association.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And finally, what's your number?
One piece of advice for parentswho are feeling overwhelmed and
exhausted when it comes totheir child's sleep Well, I'll
say I've had.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I have two kids.
I know that it's getting a goodnight's sleep for your child
and for the parent is soimportant because that just
helps everybody have a betterday.
And when kids not sleeping,nobody's sleeping and we're all
exhausted and overwhelmed.
Sleeping, nobody's sleeping andwe're all exhausted and
(14:47):
overwhelmed.
So I gave a lot of informationtoday.
I usually tell families justtake one or two things and start
to create that routine andstart to create those small
changes.
The number one tip is to beconsistent.
Consistency will lend itself tocreating a routine.
So even even when you're tired,the idea of a perfect sleep
(15:08):
routine might feel overwhelming.
But just start with a regularbedtime or a short calming
routine before bed, maybe noteverything I listed, but maybe
one to two things, and then beconsistent with it.
Don't give up.
These things do work.
Our children we're born notreally knowing how to sleep and
(15:29):
so, as parents, all the thingswe have to teach our parents
this is just one of them we needto teach them how to have good,
healthy sleep habits so thatthey sleep well and ultimately,
when everyone's sleeping well inthe household, everyone wakes
up refreshed and ready for theday.
So it's kind of a win-win allaround.
But, of course, if you don'tknow where to start or you just
(15:51):
want to talk some more about itwith your family medicine or
your pediatrician, don't beafraid to reach out, because we
are definitely there to helpkind of guide you through all
that.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Okay, well, thank you so much, dr Montgomery.
This has been very educationaland insightful and I think
everyone who listens could takethis home and just get the best
sleep of their life.
I know I have trouble sleepingeven myself and I've had to kind
(16:23):
of create a routine and it hashelped tremendously.
So I definitely think that thatis key there.
But thank you so much forsharing all of this advice and
helping all the kids and parentsget better sleep.
Remember, rest is just asimportant as nutrition and
exercise when it comes to yourchild's development.
(16:44):
Do you have anything else tosay before we wrap this?
Speaker 2 (16:47):
all up.
I guess I'd say first of all,this was a lot of fun for me,
thank you for having me on, andI just tell parents you know
this is just the beginning.
You can have a much morein-depth conversation with your
pediatrician to address yourindividual needs.
All your MedLink providers werehere to help you kind of
(17:08):
understand what's going on withyour child and kind of decode
those little things.
So don't hesitate to reach out.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah, and if you'd like to schedule a well visit or
talk more with Dr Montgomery,you can find her at our MedLink
Colbert or Oconee offices.
Dr Montgomery, you can find herat our MedLink Colbert or
Oconee offices and you can visitmedlinkgeorgiaorg to make an
appointment or learn more.
Don't forget to subscribe toour podcast for more health tips
that you can actually use.
And until next time, thank youso much.
(17:38):
Thank you for tuning in to theMedLink Health Connections
podcast.
We hope you found today'sepisode informative and
inspiring.
If you enjoyed the show, pleasesubscribe, rate and leave a
review on your favorite podcastplatform.
Remember, the informationshared in this podcast is for
educational purposes only andshould not replace professional
(17:58):
medical advice.
Always consult with yourhealthcare provider for any
medical concerns.
Stay connected with us onsocial media and visit our
website at medlinkgaorg for moreresources and updates.
Until next time, stay healthyand take care.
Welcome to the MedLink Health Connections
podcast, where we connect you totrusted help tips from experts
at MedLink Georgia.
I'm your host, angela, andtoday we're talking about a
topic every parent can relate tosleep.
How much do kids really need,why do they fight bedtime and
what can you do to help yourchild and yourself sleep better?
We're joined by Dr KellyMontgomery, a pediatrician at
(00:23):
our Colbert and Oconee officeshere at MedLink Georgia.
Dr Montgomery has been caringfor kids from birth to 18 years
at MedLink since 2018.
She's fluent in Spanish,passionate about preventative
care and a strong advocate formental health, inclusivity and
positivity.
Whether it's vaccines, wellvisits or just surviving bedtime
(00:43):
, she brings heart and expertiseto every visit, and today she's
bringing it to you, drMontgomery.
Before we dive into today'stopic, a lot of parents wonder
what's the difference between apediatrician and a family
medicine doctor, and how do theyknow which one is right for?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
their child To start with.
Thank you so much for having meon.
I'm excited to talk and this isa great way to start the
conversation because every nowand then I'll get this question.
At MedLink we have familymedicine providers and then
we'll have a team of about 10 to12 pediatricians at all our
different clinics.
So I usually say it this wayFamily doctors care for everyone
(01:22):
, from babies to grandparents.
They have broad training, whilepediatricians specialize in kids
, from newborns to young adults.
Our training is focused solelyon childhood health, development
and childhood illnesses.
So I would say the keydifference is focus.
Family doctors see all ages,while pediatricians only see
(01:43):
kids, and this also meanspediatricians have more in-depth
expertise in childhoodconditions and we tend to have
more training in how tocommunicate with children and
how to perform a child-centeredexam.
So while I love all our MedLinkproviders and our family
medicine doctors, they are greatfor one-stop care for the whole
(02:05):
family, especially forgenerally healthy kids.
I do encourage you to considerseeing a pediatrician if your
family prefers specializedknowledge in childhood health,
if your child has a complexmedical condition or if you're
just looking for a child-focusedapproach, but both are great
(02:26):
looking for a child-focusedapproach, but both are great,
awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Thank you so much for clearing that up.
Why don't we jump right intotoday's topic sleep To start us
off?
Why is sleep so important forkids?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
So sleep is absolutely fundamental for
children.
It's not just about feelingrested.
Think of it as essential fuelfor their development in every
way, and I typically look at itin three broad categories.
I'd start with physically.
During deep sleep, our children, their bodies, release crucial
(02:56):
growth hormones.
This is when they literallygrow taller and build strong
muscles and bones.
Sleep also plays a vital rolein strengthening their immune
system.
When they're well rested, theirbodies are much better equipped
to fight off infections andillnesses.
It's a time for repair andrestoration of all their
physical symptoms after a busyday of playing and learning.
(03:18):
Then the next big section iscognitively.
Sleep is prime time for braindevelopment.
It's when their brains processall the information they've
taken in during the day,consolidating memories and
solidifying learning.
So adequate sleep is directlylinked to improved attention
span, improved concentration,better problem-solving skills
(03:39):
and overall, better brainfunction.
Think of it as the brain doingits nightly housekeeping and
organizing files while we sleep.
And then, lastly, emotional andbehaviorally who hasn't had a
bad night's sleep?
And just the world just kind ofseems upside down?
Sufficient sleep has a hugeimpact on a child's emotional
regulation.
(03:59):
Well-rested kids tend to bemore patient, less irritable and
better able to manage theiremotions.
Lack of sleep can show up asincreased moodiness, frustration
, hyperactivity and evenbehaviors that can sometimes be
mistaken for ADHD.
It's like their emotionalthermostat works much better
when they've had enough sleep.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Wow, okay.
So building on that, how muchsleep should children be getting
at different stages of growth?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
This is a common question I'll get at a child's
well-child check and the answervaries by age.
The American Academy ofPediatric breaks it down into
age groups.
So for infants you can expect12 to 16 hours including naps.
For toddlers that's ages 1 to 3, we can expect 11 to 14 hours
(04:50):
including naps.
Preschoolers ages 3 to 5,they'll get about 10 to 13 hours
.
Some preschoolers are stilltaking naps, others have grown
out of their nap stage.
As long as they're getting thatsleep overnight, that's fine.
Then our school-age childrenabout 9 to 12 hours per night,
and teenagers should be getting8 to 10 hours per night.
(05:13):
But these are guidelines.
Individual needs can vary.
So I usually tell families justpay attention to your child's
cues.
A well-rested child willtypically wake up relatively
easily and be alert and engagedthroughout the day.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Okay, so kind of also going off of that.
What are some of the signs thata let me restart that Kind of
going off of that?
What are some of the signs thatyour child isn't getting enough
?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
sleep.
There are several signs thatyour child might be sleep
deprived, so I'll go throughthem.
In order To start with daytimesleepiness, I think that one's
kind of the obvious one.
But look beyond just yawning itcan also appear as sluggish
your child zoning out or fallingasleep in the car or during
quiet activities.
Then there's the irritable andmoody child.
(06:08):
They're consistently cranky,easily frustrated and has
frequent emotional outbursts.
Consistently cranky, easilyfrustrated and has frequent
emotional outbursts.
Hyperactivity can also be asign that they're not getting
enough sleep, which this isparadoxical.
You wouldn't expect this in asleepy child, but this is
actually their bodies trying tocompensate for the lack of rest.
(06:28):
Sometimes our kids will havedifficulty concentrating.
Trouble focusing on tasks,following instructions and
remembering things can be a signof insufficient sleep.
This can certainly impact theirschool performance and you
might be hearing from theteacher that things are kind of
changing in the classroom.
A younger child might haveincreased clinginess or
(06:50):
meltdowns.
They might be more emotionallysensitive and having those
intense temper tantrums.
And then, as I mentioned before, frequent illnesses.
If your child seems to begetting sick more often, a lack
of sleep could be contributingto having just not as strong of
an immune system.
(07:10):
And lastly, what we're seeing alot is there's new research
that our appetite hormoneincreases.
So what you might see is thatincreased appetite for unhealthy
foods.
We start seeing the gremlinhormone kind of make that surge
and our child might be cravingsugary and ultra processed foods
(07:31):
, which we know isn't healthy.
So if you're noticing severalof these signs, it's probably
worth talking to your familydoctor or your pediatrician
about your child's sleep habits.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
A common challenge some parents may face is bedtime
resistance.
Is it normal for kids to resistbedtime and how can parents
handle that?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yes.
So this is probably what I talkabout most with my families.
Sleep questions will come upand of course, the parents will
talk to me about bedtimeresistance.
It's incredibly common,especially in the younger kids
Think toddler and preschool age.
So several reasons for this.
(08:11):
One is that developmental stage.
Young children are naturallycurious.
They don't want to miss out onanything.
It's almost like FOMO, thatfear of missing out.
They feel like bedtime is anend to all the fun for the day.
And then there's the separationanxiety.
Some children just experienceanxiety about being separated
(08:31):
from their parents at night andthey'll need that reassurance.
There's also the desire forcontrol and independence in our
young children, and bedtimebecomes a battleground where
they test boundaries and theywant to assert their
independence.
And there's the lack ofroutines.
I discuss routines a lot withmy patient's parents.
(08:53):
An inconsistent bedtime routinecan make it so much harder for
children to wind down and fortheir brains and bodies to
understand when it's time tosleep.
Our brains need a routine andthese sleep associations help
them to know when it's time toprepare the body to get into bed
.
The body to get into bed Um, Ihave a couple more.
(09:19):
And then overtiredness can alsobe an obstacle to sleep.
Ironically, an overtired childcan actually have more
difficulty falling asleep.
When we're really, really tired, we'll have a surge in this
stress hormone called cortisoland that makes it harder for our
bodies to kind of wind down andstart the sleep process.
And then the last thing is I'llseparate from our school-aged
children, our adolescents, ourteens.
(09:41):
They'll develop somethingcalled adolescent sleep onset
disorder.
This is a teen that isconsistently having trouble
falling asleep at a reasonabletime and that can just be due to
a natural biological shift intheir sleep-wake cycle.
So I always tell parents it'snot the teen being resistant,
(10:01):
it's a little bit of biology.
But on top of that they'll haveacademic pressures, they might
be overscheduled, and then it'sjust the use of electronics and
being on their phone and socialmedia that can suppress our
hormone melatonin, which helpsour body know that it's time to
fall asleep.
So I would say about 60, 60% ofmy teen patients report
(10:24):
disordered sleep and we talkabout that a lot in clinic as
well.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So you mentioned a little bit about routine.
What would you say a healthybedtime routine looks like.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, it's a great question.
Again, this is probably thebulk of my time when I talk
about sleep and sleep disorders.
Sleep troubles and sleeptraining is talking about that
routine.
So that consistent bedtimeroutine is going to be key for a
child of any age.
This is a predictable sequenceof calming activities that
(11:00):
signals to the child's brainthat it's time to wind down, so
that routine can look like justsetting a wind down time.
30 to 60 minutes before bed.
This is when you start totransition away from active play
and shut off all screens Forsome families.
I talk to them that if they liketo take their bath at night,
(11:21):
this bath time can be veryrelaxing and start to signal to
the brain it's time to slow downand get ready for bed.
Brushing teeth and getting PJson these are also essential
hygiene steps and good cues forsleep associations for a little
one's brain.
Quiet activities can also help,like listening to music.
(11:45):
A quiet conversation andreading a story.
Together can all be really goodfor just settling down and
getting ready for bed.
Together can all be really goodfor just settling down and
getting ready for bed.
Then the environment dimmingthe lights.
This creates a sleep-inducingatmosphere.
(12:06):
Sometimes families will askabout sound machines.
So turning on your soundmachine can cue your brain that
it's time for bed.
But I will say avoid anybackground TVs or using music.
Our brains continue to listento the TV.
The brain loves to stay withthe story and follow the story,
and it loves music because itlikes to predict patterns.
So we don't want our brains tobe on while we're trying to
(12:28):
sleep.
We want our brains to rest aswell.
So opt for white noise ifyou're using sound machines, and
then you can give your littleone a comfort item like a
stuffed animal and then say yourgoodnight and tuck your child
in and leave the room.
Once they are tucked in, youleave, and if they call you out
again or they ask you to comeback, you can respond calmly.
(12:51):
But keep it brief.
You don't want a lengthyinteraction because that's going
to disrupt all the work you'vedone on that sleep routine.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Okay, what would you say are some common
sleep-related mistakes thatparents might not be aware of?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
inconsistent bedtimes and wait times.
I know for some families wejust, you know, get busy.
We have kids that are ofdifferent ages, involved in
different afterschool activitiesor um, we have multiple
caregivers and adults that areworking, and so if we're working
later hours that can contributeto inconsistent bedtimes.
But if you can do your best togive your child that consistent
(13:46):
bedtime and wake time, that'llreally help.
Also, just trying to minimizescreen times before bed.
Another one that parents don'tthink of is using bed as
punishment.
This creates a negativeassociation.
So we don't want to be tellingour kids if you continue to do
that, you're going straight tobed, because we want bed to be
(14:06):
associated with good sleep,restful sleep, restorative sleep
, calming and relaxingassociations, not negative
association.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And finally, what's your number?
One piece of advice for parentswho are feeling overwhelmed and
exhausted when it comes totheir child's sleep Well, I'll
say I've had.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I have two kids.
I know that it's getting a goodnight's sleep for your child
and for the parent is soimportant because that just
helps everybody have a betterday.
And when kids not sleeping,nobody's sleeping and we're all
exhausted and overwhelmed.
Sleeping, nobody's sleeping andwe're all exhausted and
(14:47):
overwhelmed.
So I gave a lot of informationtoday.
I usually tell families justtake one or two things and start
to create that routine andstart to create those small
changes.
The number one tip is to beconsistent.
Consistency will lend itself tocreating a routine.
So even even when you're tired,the idea of a perfect sleep
(15:08):
routine might feel overwhelming.
But just start with a regularbedtime or a short calming
routine before bed, maybe noteverything I listed, but maybe
one to two things, and then beconsistent with it.
Don't give up.
These things do work.
Our children we're born notreally knowing how to sleep and
(15:29):
so, as parents, all the thingswe have to teach our parents
this is just one of them we needto teach them how to have good,
healthy sleep habits so thatthey sleep well and ultimately,
when everyone's sleeping well inthe household, everyone wakes
up refreshed and ready for theday.
So it's kind of a win-win allaround.
But, of course, if you don'tknow where to start or you just
(15:51):
want to talk some more about itwith your family medicine or
your pediatrician, don't beafraid to reach out, because we
are definitely there to helpkind of guide you through all
that.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Okay, well, thank you so much, dr Montgomery.
This has been very educationaland insightful and I think
everyone who listens could takethis home and just get the best
sleep of their life.
I know I have trouble sleepingeven myself and I've had to kind
(16:23):
of create a routine and it hashelped tremendously.
So I definitely think that thatis key there.
But thank you so much forsharing all of this advice and
helping all the kids and parentsget better sleep.
Remember, rest is just asimportant as nutrition and
exercise when it comes to yourchild's development.
(16:44):
Do you have anything else tosay before we wrap this?
Speaker 2 (16:47):
all up.
I guess I'd say first of all,this was a lot of fun for me,
thank you for having me on, andI just tell parents you know
this is just the beginning.
You can have a much morein-depth conversation with your
pediatrician to address yourindividual needs.
All your MedLink providers werehere to help you kind of
(17:08):
understand what's going on withyour child and kind of decode
those little things.
So don't hesitate to reach out.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah, and if you'd like to schedule a well visit or
talk more with Dr Montgomery,you can find her at our MedLink
Colbert or Oconee offices.
Dr Montgomery, you can find herat our MedLink Colbert or
Oconee offices and you can visitmedlinkgeorgiaorg to make an
appointment or learn more.
Don't forget to subscribe toour podcast for more health tips
that you can actually use.
And until next time, thank youso much.
(17:38):
Thank you for tuning in to theMedLink Health Connections
podcast.
We hope you found today'sepisode informative and
inspiring.
If you enjoyed the show, pleasesubscribe, rate and leave a
review on your favorite podcastplatform.
Remember, the informationshared in this podcast is for
educational purposes only andshould not replace professional
(17:58):
medical advice.
Always consult with yourhealthcare provider for any
medical concerns.
Stay connected with us onsocial media and visit our
website at medlinkgaorg for moreresources and updates.
Until next time, stay healthyand take care.
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