6 Common Sleep Training Myths

Myth: Sleep Training means “Cry-it-Out’.

Fact: Cry-It-Out was the first sleep training method, but since then it has evolved into a variety of methods that meets the specific needs of your family.

Myth: Sleep training causes brain damage and harms the bond between parent and child.

Fact: Research does not support this. In fact, the opposite is true. As the research continues to emerge it’s becoming quite clear how crucial sleep is to a child’s immediate and long-term development. A landmark 2007 study from the National Institutes of Health suggested that critical brain-development periods are dependent on adequate sleep. Sleep is especially important in those first few months and years as your child’s cognitive development surges.  Sleep affects a child’s mental, social, emotional, and physical development; both short-term and long-term.

Myth: Sleep training is a one-and-done-deal.

Fact: Establishing healthy sleep habits is a continual process. As your child develops, their sleep patterns evolve, and you will need to continually re-establish sleep boundaries as they grow. However, children who have parents that are consistent in their approach and who prioritize their child’s sleep needs, are less likely to be disturbed by cognitive leaps (also known as “sleep regressions”). 

Myth:  The longer I keep my child awake, the better they will sleep.

Fact: This belief is false. Rather, the more tired a child becomes the less likely they are to sleep well.  This is because when children become fatigued, their bodies respond by secreting a stress hormone called cortisol to help fight the fatigue. This is the same hormone that adult bodies secrete in the mornings to help us get moving. It is similar to having an adrenaline rush right before bed, which makes it hard for your child to fall asleep and stay asleep. It may seem counterintuitive, but keeping your child well-rested will help them sleep better at night.

Myth: I can train my baby to sleep through loud noises.

Fact: The older your child, the less likely they are to sleep through anything. In those first few weeks your baby has a sleep drive so strong it allows them to sleep through anything. This helps them adjust to their new world. However, starting at 6 weeks, your baby goes through a cognitive leap that causes them to become more aware of their surroundings (all the new noises and sights). Their strong sleep drive diminishes at this point and is replaced with a desire to learn from and adapt to their new world. Each cognitive leap brings a new level of awareness, thereby making sleep more difficult. Without an encouraging environment such as a quiet, cool, dark room, your child may have a hard time developing healthy sleep habits.

Myth: My baby will outgrow their inability to sleep.

Fact: Falling asleep independently is a learned skill. We have to teach our babies how to do this. Most children will not outgrow their sleep associations and will need to be taught.