The Essential Guide to Children's Sleep

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S SLEEP by Andrea C. Roth, Shelby F. Harris, and Allison Shale is published by The American Psychological Association and promises “A Tired Caregiver's Workbook for Every Age and Stage.” I especially liked the calm, matter-of-fact tone and the provision of strategies relevant for different ages. These authors are authorities, based on their educational and professional experience (cognitive–behavioral therapists and a clinical psychologist/sleep specialist) and personal experience as parents; they readily acknowledge “the reality of how difficult childhood sleep issues can be.” After beginning with a review of general principles and guidelines, they structure the book so as to “discuss the importance of caregiver teamwork (Chapter 2), provide guidance for age groups from infancy through adolescence (Chapters 3-7), and offer troubleshooting tips (Chapter 8).” Promising to “present our recommendations along with data to support them,” these authors offer general suggestions and helpful commentary, such as “[at 4 to 6 months] they are also possibly waking a bit more often in the night as they cycle in and out of sleep. Again, all of these changes are to be expected.” The workbook format provides useful questions and an opportunity for reflection and planning. THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S SLEEP is aptly titled and will be a valuable resource for parents across several years. 

Gentle by Courtney Carver

GENTLE by Courtney Carver is subtitled “Rest More, Stress Less, and Live the Life You Actually Want.” Carver (Soulful Simplicity) stresses self-compassion and self-care as she tries to convey a plan to do just that. She writes about “gentle” as “easing through instead of pushing through,” “creating strength in stillness,” and “putting yourself first.” Her text is divided amongst the three seasons of gentle: Rest (e.g., relaxing, sleep practices, and connecting); Less (e.g., unplug, decluttering, and less regret); and Rise (e.g., cultivating quiet, releasing every worry, and bringing it all together).  Within multiple chapters for each season, Carver offers ideas for tiny steps and one gentle step. That seems doable and Carter’s tone is supportive and non-judgmental. I especially liked her reference to Laura Vanderkam’s comment that “going to bed early is the way grown-ups sleep in.” Carver frequently refers to her own habits and life experience which is also less intimidating. However, I would like to see a print version since some readers could still feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of “to dos.” They will need to remember Carter’s summary: “Be Gentle. Move softly. Go slowly. Celebrate every tiny step. You don't have to push through. Ease through. Be light. Be you.”  

Sleep Drink Breathe by Michael Breus

SLEEP DRINK BREATHE by Michael Breus is subtitled “Simple Daily Habits for Profound Long-Term Health” and focuses on the basics. Breus is a double-boarded clinical psychologist and clinical sleep specialist who stresses that “doing something adequately, or at the bare minimum, is not the same as doing it well and getting more out of your effort.” He begins with a discussion of what he calls the first domino and his primary area of expertise, sleep. In that and subsequent sections he provides simple facts, offers assessment tools (e.g., sleep diary), reviews troubleshooting options (e.g., maintain a consistent sleep schedule), and provides scientifically based best practices. Breus frequently summarizes helpful Takeaways and then outlines a three-week Sleep-Drink-Breathe Plan. That plan involves five “check-ins” with accompanying activities throughout the day and commitment might be higher if readers encourage a friend to join them.  Although some chapters of SLEEP DRINK BREATHE are stronger than others, the tone throughout is conversational and generally uplifting. As readers review this text, they may also be interested in a recent New York Times article (quoting Breus and other experts) about relatively easy health tips.

Stress Resets by Jennifer L. Taitz

STRESS RESETS by Jennifer L. Taitz, a clinical psychologist and an assistant professor at UCLA, has three main sections. The first – called Befriending Stress, Living Better – is rather text heavy, but intended to provide background and a better understanding of topics like regulating emotion, overthinking, and thriving without substances. Many readers will turn quickly to the more specific ideas for “How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in Minutes” that Taitz offers in the second (Stress Resets for Intense Times) and third (Stress Buffers For Building Resilience) sections. The timeframes are different (short-term exercises vs. longer-term habits of mind), but those strategies are each further divided between Mind, Body, and Behavior. Taitz provides a lengthy bibliography (almost fifteen percent of the book is detailed references and resources) so these are not necessarily “new” activities (e.g., breathing exercises, scan your body, laugh more!), but they are organized in a very helpful way. Each of the 75 ideas has a when, how and why section, allowing readers to think more clearly about appropriate timing, execution, and science behind each idea (e.g., why an ice-cold face bath leads to feeling calmer or making your bed contributes to a sense of accomplishment). In fact, Taitz writes that readers should think of STRESS RESETS “as a recipe book for your well-being -- in other words, accessible, easily digestible strategies with clear instructions that you can pick and choose from, depending on your taste and needs.” Have a look at some of her suggestions, ranging from expanding your gaze, or taking a walk outside, to carving out time to worry or committing to three minutes of mindfulness. They are thoughtful, practical tips.  

100 Ways to Change Your Life by Liz Moody

The new book 100 WAYS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Liz Moody really surprised me – in a good way. I liked its emphasis on really creative, doable tasks. There are many specifics; for example, Moody suggests creating a rule of three or mapping your day to your energy in order to be more productive. In another sections, she comments on how to be happier (e.g., do something for someone else) or how to feel calmer (e.g., use action as an antidote to anxiety). Her focus on science and research is very helpful, too. In the section on reduce your pain, Moody frequently quotes Dr. Rachel Zoffness (a psychologist and author of The Pain Management Workbook) and the importance of looking at biological, psychological, and social factors. Moody points out that “playing with the idea of a pain recipe and a pain dial starts to illuminate the many factors at play in the experience of pain, and while not all pain is within our control, it's illuminating and wildly empowering to begin to discover just how much is.” With so many great ideas and references to additional resources (roughly ten percent of the book is notes), 100 WAYS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE would be a great book to browse or to consider as a gift. Liz Moody is the host of the top-rated The Liz Moody Podcast where, like this book, she shares interviews with experts and explores “The Science of Leveling Up Health, Happiness, Relationships & Success.”

The Age-Proof Brain by Marc Milstein

THE AGE-PROOF BRAIN by Marc Milstein offers “New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity, and Fight Off Dementia.” Milstein, educated at UCLA, is a knowledgeable presenter, including press and television interviews, regarding brain health. His new text is easy to follow and offers numerous suggestions, particularly that “learning new information or a new skill keeps your brain young.” The book has three primary parts: the first several chapters explain how the brain and memory works as well as connections to the gut and heart; the second part reviews issues (memory loss, insulin resistance, inflammation, and mental health) associated with the brain and aging; the third part is filled with steps to take related to sleep, stress, exercise, community, nutrition, environment, and cross-training (developing different skills). Whether or not all of his information is truly “new” to you, Milstein’s appendix even includes a seven day plan with very specific examples which should be useful to everyone seeking to develop or reinforce healthy habits. For a related text and additional resources, see Dotson’s Keep your Wits About You.

The Wall Street Journal also recently recommended the best 2022 books (and podcasts) about aging and retirement, some of whom we had profiled: Fellowship Point and Independence Day.

Added note: And, The New York Times just published "3 Steps to Age Exuberantly:" be grateful (even for some "pain" where you can find joy); surround yourself with young people; and be curious (say "yes" whenever possible). These ideas are from a new book by Margareta Magnusson who also wrote the bestseller titled The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.

Life Time by Russell Foster

LIFE TIME by Russell Foster, professor of Circadian Neuroscience, at the University of Oxford, offer insights about “Your Body Clock and Its Essential Roles in Good Health and Sleep.” Foster has over forty years of experience as a scientist in this field and he explicitly sets out to explain the intertwining of body clocks and sleep in “a format that is fun and easy to read.”  He has certainly made an effort to group like topics (e.g., when to take drugs or eating times) together and the text is generally more accessible than I had anticipated. However, he has to rely on an alphabet soup of abbreviations and on scientific terms which make the reading difficult in places. There is a helpful glossary and Foster offers some amusing anecdotes in an effort to lighten the load. I also liked the reassuring tone (e.g., "we should stop worrying about our sleep and accept that 'different' is not necessarily worse"). I skimmed several chapters like The Day Within or Seven Ages of Sleep and appreciated that he concluded each with some layperson questions. In addition, the use of bullet points or maybe an outline of “key takeaways” after each chapter could have been a useful improvement. More specific action steps (e.g., get children outside in bright light to reduce the chance of myopia or near-sightedness) and information on implementation (what does bright-light therapy look like at nursing homes?) seemed vague or missing. The connections between sleep and circadian rhythms is an extremely interesting topic and Foster adds to engagement by including an Appendix with suggestions for developing a sleep diary; he also includes a Chronotype Questionnaire to help his readers determine if they are more of a “morning” or “evening” person. LIFE TIME deals with important health-related topics and is worth a look. My favorite quote? “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” ~Marie Skłodowska-Curie

New books about anxiety

Here are two recent books that take different approaches towards dealing with anxiety. One, by a psychologist, encourages readers to frame the situation differently and to regard anxiety as a useful emotion. The other, by a medical doctor, is much more specific about steps which can be taken to combat and lessen anxiety.

In FUTURE TENSE Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Hunter College (the City University of New York), describes “Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad).”  She argues for “three fundamental principles:” listen to and be curious about anxiety since it provides information about the future; let it go if it is not useful; and, if it is, then act upon it. That sounds very basic, but Dennis-Tiwary is encouraging her readers to view anxiety in a new light, less as a danger and more as an embodiment of hope. She stresses that anxiety – like all emotions – “will inevitably pass.” In the meantime, she refers to research about “the best ways of letting go: cultivate experiences that slow you down and immerse you in the present” with examples like taking a walk or reaching out to a friend. Dennis-Tiwary writes in a thoughtful, compassionate manner, sharing both her own personal experiences and scientific research; notes comprise about ten percent of this useful text.

THE SELF-HEALING MIND by Gregory Scott Brown Provides “An Essential Five-Step Practice for Overcoming Anxiety and Depression, and Revitalizing Your Life.” Brown, a board-certified psychiatrist and mental health writer, also acknowledges the benefits of changing perspective and redefining mental health, but he stresses “the five pillars of self-care.” These are: bringing attention to breath, sleep, spirituality, nutrition, and exercise. Brown offers examples and brief explanations for each of these (e.g., commenting on differences between REM and NREM sleep in an easy to understand manner). He shares statistics (we take an average of twenty thousand breaths a day), results from scientific studies, and personal incidents (like the Yoga Nidra class he tried) – all of which add interest. The text covers a range of important points with about ten percent devoted to notes in support of any follow-up research.  In terms of aiding our students, we have several other titles in the collection which look specifically at mindfulness, sleep, or nutrition and which are likely to provide even more immediate suggestions for action.  THE SELF-HEALING MIND may be of more interest to parents as a summary that reinforces other findings.

Good Anxiety by Wendy Suzuki

GOOD ANXIETY by Wendy Suzuki (Healthy Brain, Happy Life) is subtitled “Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion” and she begins by explaining what anxiety is and notes that “yes, it is uncomfortable, but it is also essential for our survival.” The second part of her book explains how to worry well with chapters related to flow, an activist mindset, amplifying focus, heightening compassion, and boosting creativity. Suzuki, a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University, argues that “we are surrounded by too much information to filter and too much stimulation to relax” and describes how “exercise, proper nutrition, and meditation could reduce and buffer against anxiety.” With so much continued stress and concern about COVID-19, this text offers key ideas about how “listening to our anxieties from a place of curiosity, and without fear, can actually guide us onto a path that leads to joy.” Her final section offers a Good Anxiety Toolbox with questionnaires to help assess how anxious readers are, what they feel when anxious, and possible triggers. These exercises will be very valuable to our Psych students and others who want to learn more about self-soothing techniques, including breathing, olfactory relaxation, and positive thinking. Our homeroom advisors could also use these quick tools – like the mindset check-in – as journal prompts or discussion starters. Suzuki includes notes and an index.

April Fulton of NPR interviewed Suzuki recently and summarizes “Six Tips for Coping with COVID Anxiety this Fall and Winter.” Also, GOOD ANXIETY was chosen by Fortune Magazine as one of five new books to read this September (others include The Burnout Epidemic and Three Girls from Bronzeville – review forthcoming). In addition, it is a nominee for the Next Big Idea Book Club for Fall 2021, compared to texts like Quiet or Thinking, Fast and Slow. For a quick sampling of Suzuki’s message regarding the importance of brain health, view her TedTalk on the benefits of exercise; that YouTube version has almost 13 million views.