We know kids need sleep. But do we really understand how much their sleep affects?
It goes far beyond waking up cranky.
Poor or inadequate sleep can influence a child’s mood, behavior, ability to concentrate, immune function, physical health, learning, memory, and development. Yet as children get older and parents stop monitoring their sleep as closely, it can become surprisingly easy to miss what’s happening after bedtime.
In Episode 143 of Everyday Epigenetics: Raw. Real. Relatable., I’m joined by pediatric sleep specialist and certified pediatric nurse practitioner JaNae Haycock to talk about why we need to take children’s sleep seriously.
When a Sleep Problem Looks Like Something Else
One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation is how poor sleep can show up during the day.
JaNae has worked with children experiencing hyperactivity, emotional dysregulation, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, memory issues, and struggles at school. Sometimes addressing an underlying sleep problem can make a significant difference in how a child feels and functions.
That’s why sleep needs to be part of the conversation when something seems off.
Healthy Sleep Changes With Age
A toddler’s sleep needs are very different from a teenager’s, and JaNae walks us through what parents can expect at different developmental stages.
We talk about bedtime resistance, night wakings, self-soothing, changing circadian rhythms, and the very real struggle teenagers face when their biological rhythms begin shifting later while school, sports, homework, friends, and screens compete for their time.
We also explore genetics and epigenetics. Genetics can influence things like sleep timing and duration, but lifestyle and environment still play an important role in how those predispositions show up.
Know the Red Flags
Not every sleep struggle is behavioral.
Snoring may sound harmless, but JaNae explains that it can signal a breathing issue in children. Excessive movement, breathing pauses, extreme daytime sleepiness, and consistently needing naps beyond the expected age can also be reasons to investigate further.
The goal isn’t to make parents obsess over every imperfect night of sleep. Life happens. Routines get disrupted.
It’s about recognizing when poor sleep has become the norm.
Sleep is when growing bodies recover, repair, process information, and prepare for another day. Helping kids develop healthy sleep habits now can support how they feel and function today while giving them habits they can carry into adulthood.
Listen to Episode 143 of Everyday Epigenetics: Raw. Real. Relatable. with JaNae Haycock for the sleep conversation every parent needs to hear.
RESOURCES:
Connect with JaNae Haycock:
Website: https://www.sleepstarskids.com/
Facebook – SleepStars
IG – https://www.instagram.com/sleepstarskids
Full Shownotes:
https://healthyawakening.co/2026/10/05/episode143
Connect with Susan:
https://linktr.ee/susanrobbins
Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast
Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links
Learn more about our guest JaNae Haycock:
JaNae Haycock is a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and the founder of SleepStars Kids. She earned her master’s degree in nursing and has spent the past 25 years working in pediatric healthcare. After years working in pediatric primary care, JaNae specialized in sleep medicine, helping thousands of children conquer complex medical and behavioral sleep struggles. Today, she runs a virtual behavioral sleep medicine practice for families in Colorado, where she is licensed as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.
She created SleepStars Kids to expand her reach, bringing her expertise to parents worldwide through dedicated one-on-one coaching and self-guided educational tools.
JaNae breaks down complex medical insights into actionable, easy-to-understand advice. As a mother of four who has faced her own fair share of sleepless nights, she knows there is no one-size-fits-all sleep solution. She blends her clinical expertise with practical, compassionate strategies, tailored to fit the unique needs of every parent and child. When she’s not helping families get the rest they need, she can be found enjoying the great outdoors in beautiful Colorado.
Learn More about Susan Robbins:
Susan is a retired law enforcement officer and an accomplished Certified Epigenetic Human Performance Coach with a diverse and extensive background in wellness. She began her wellness career in 2015 as a holistic health and stress management coach. Her passion for helping others led her to expand her expertise into epigenetics in 2019, where she discovered the missing piece of the health optimization puzzle: Personalized health.
As a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Certified Level 2 Apeiron Zoh Epigenetic Human Performance Coach (DNA), and Certified PH360 Coach through Precision Health Alliance, Susan has developed a unique approach to health and wellness through completely personalized health. She is the proud recipient of the 2023 Precision Health Alliance Coach of the Year award. Susan works with clients to elevate their health and overall quality of life by understanding their unique needs based on their genetic makeup, taking out the guesswork, and getting results.
