Families arrive in your office with a multitude of confusing messages about sleep. As a family's trusted healthcare professional, you can be prepared to dispel some of the most common sleep myths that families will encounter - like these.

"The more tired the baby, the better they sleep." Overtiredness triggers cortisol release, which acts like caffeine and makes sleep harder. Watch for prolonged crying, short naps, early waking, and sleep fighting as signs a baby is past their natural sleep window.

"Later bedtime means a later wake-up." Most infants sleep best with a bedtime of 6-8pm. Late bedtimes disrupt the circadian rhythm and often worsen sleep onset.

"Some kids just don't need much sleep." "Wired is tired" is a useful phrase here. Hyperactive or wide-awake-seeming behavior at bedtime is often overtiredness, not readiness to stay up. An earlier bedtime frequently improves both onset and duration.

"Good nights mean naps aren't necessary." Daytime and nighttime sleep and interdependent. Naps prevent the overtiredness that undermines nighttime sleep quality.

For more tips on how to dispel myths, check out our provider module on sleep.