Motherhood
Toddlers Sleep
New Study Finds:
Up to 40% of Toddlers Today Are Not Getting Enough Sleep, Leading to Behavioral Issues, Lower IQ Scores & Higher Risk of Obesity
BY GRETA CLARK
PUBLISHED 1 WEEK AGO IN MOTHERHOOD
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Recent studies have found that up to 40% of toddlers and pre-school children have chronic sleep issues.
Many of them struggle to fall asleep at bedtime, wake up frequently at night, and aren’t getting enough sleep on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, most parents are not even aware that their child is struggling with poor sleep.
In fact, a 2025 study from Brown University found that while 83% of parents believed their child was sleeping the right amount, sleep trackers showed that only 14% of the children were actually getting enough sleep!
"What parents often don't see is how long it takes for kids to fall asleep or how often they wake up during the night," said Diana S. Grigsby-Toussaint, the study's senior author and an associate professor at the Brown University School of Public Health.
The Hidden Problem Parents Don't See
What parents often don't realize is that time in bed does not equal time spent sleeping.
Most toddlers tend to take a while to fall asleep. Even after their parents have left the room, they may only fall asleep 30-60 minutes later.
They may also wake up multiple times throughout the night, tossing and turning, and finding it difficult to fall back to sleep.
However, because they don’t wake their parents up during these night time wakings, most parents don’t actually know that their toddler isn’t getting all the sleep they need!
And the result isn't just a tired or grumpy child…
The Negative Long-Term Effects of Poor Sleep
Multiple studies have found that poor sleep in children has been linked to:
Increased aggression
Poor emotional regulation
Mood swings
Depression
Social anxiety
Lower IQ scores
Weakened immune system
Increased risk of obesity
Poor cognitive performance (memory, attention, problem-solving skills)
One peer reviewed study found that toddlers who did not get sufficient sleep had noticeably poorer memory, attention, and academic performance.
The study also showed that toddlers with more frequent nighttime awakenings had significantly more behavioral problems and poorer emotional regulation.
Another study found that children with sleep problems were more likely to experience emotional and behavioral problems, including hyperactivity, aggression, and attention issues.
The researchers conclude that disturbed or insufficient sleep in children can result in obesity; poorer cognitive functioning (learning, attention, and school performance); poor emotional regulation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In short, poor sleep doesn't just mean a tired or cranky toddler. It actually affects their brain development, behavior, ability to regulate emotions, and even their long-term health!
Existing Sleeping Solutions Fall Short
Unfortunately, there aren't very many good solutions made to help kids sleep better.
Melatonin
Melatonin is often seen as a natural and safe sleeping aid, which is why more and more parents today are giving their kids melatonin to help them sleep.
However, melatonin is actually not recommended for children under 5.
That’s because it is a hormone, and its long-term effects in young children remain unknown.
Research has also shown that melatonin can disrupt our body's natural sleep-wake cycle, and shouldn’t be taken long term.
More importantly, melatonin doesn't significantly improve sleep quality.
Melatonin mainly affects the timing of sleep, but not the quality or duration of sleep.
For example, if your child is currently falling asleep at 11pm and you want to shift their bedtime to 10pm, melatonin can help them fall asleep slightly earlier.
However, taking melatonin may not reduce night time wakings, and does not increase total sleep time by much.
In fact, studies have shown that melatonin only increase total sleep time by around 8 to 13 minutes (NIH meta-analysis).
Sleeping Pills
Sleeping pills are not the solution either.
Most sleeping pills are not recommended for children and come with significant drawbacks.
These drugs can be habit-forming, and cause side effects like grogginess and nausea.
They also do not give you deep, restorative sleep.
Most sleeping pills are sedatives (the same class of drugs doctors use to knock you out before you go through a major operation).
Taking sleeping pills can "knock you out" for 8-9 hours, but they don't actually give you natural, restful sleep.
In fact, studies show that sleeping drugs actually suppress slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), which is the type of sleep that’s needed for cell repair, growth, and is what allows you to wake up feeling refreshed.
This is why people will report "sleeping" for 8 hours after taking a sleeping pill, but still wake up feeling groggy or unrefreshed. That’s because they didn’t actually get the deep, restorative sleep they needed.
An 100% Natural Sleeping Solution Made for Toddlers
This is why we created the Junior's Bedtime Lotion, an all-natural sleep solution made specifically for toddlers and young children.
The lotion contains magnesium, lavender, and chamomile: safe, natural ingredients that:
Helps support deeper, more restful sleep naturally
Gives your toddler the sleep they need for their growing body & developing brain
Non-habit forming, and safe to use long term
All-natural with no unwanted side effects
Specially formulated for toddlers & kids (unlike melatonin & sleeping pills)
The Science Behind Junior's Bedtime Lotion
So how does a lotion help toddlers sleep better?
The answer is: Deep Sea Magnesium
Deep sea magnesium is a unique and rare form of magnesium that can only be found more than 1,500 meters below sea level.
It is one of the purest forms of magnesium and can be absorbed directly through the skin to naturally increase GABA (a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation, lowers cortisol, and promotes deeper, more restorative sleep).
The Junior’s Bedtime Lotion is made with the purest deep sea magnesium, sourced directly from the Zechstein sea bed in the Netherlands.
All you have to do is massage a grape-sized amount of lotion onto your child’s feet and calves as part of their bedtime routine. That’s all it takes to give your child a deeper, more restful night’s sleep!
Parents who use Junior's Bedtime Lotion consistently report the same transformation:
Their kids fall asleep faster; No more hour-long bedtime battles
They sleep through the night with fewer night time wakings
They wake up feeling well-rested
No more temper tantrums and meltdowns
Their mood's improved, and they are thriving at school!
Loved By Over 268,000+ Happy Parents
Read More Reviews
Made by Moms, for Moms
The Junior’s Bedtime Lotion is made by a family-owned business out of Indiana.
It is made in small batches and often sells out quickly.
And due to the difficulty in sourcing deep sea magnesium, once a batch of lotions are sold out, it can take up to 4-6 weeks for a new batch to be made.
I highly recommend clicking the link below to secure your order as soon as possible if there are still any jars in stock!
Try Junior's Bedtime Lotion
3-Month Money-Back Guarantee
Every jar of Junior’s Bedtime Lotion comes with an unconditional 3-month risk free guarantee!
If the lotion does not help your child sleep better, you do not pay a cent.
Just email us at contact@8sheep.com with your order number and we will give you a full refund within 24 hours—even if you’ve already used up the jar of lotion!
No questions asked. No forms to fill. No return required.
We want you to be 100% happy with your purchase!
Ready to Help Your Little One Sleep Better Tonight?
Click the link to get your Junior's Bedtime Lotion while it's still in stock.
Yes, I want my toddler sleeping better
