A Bedtime Story Book

2023 Community Sleep Health and Public Awareness Grant

Judith Owens, MD, MPH
Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers

Key Project Outcome

With a grant from the AASM Foundation we were able to write, illustrate (in full color with original artwork), translate into Spanish and distribute 300 copies of a highly innovative, culturally appropriate bedtime book “My Sleep Recipe” about the basics of sleep health for 4 to 8 year old children and their caregivers to share at bedtime. The book was developed with input from caregivers and healthcare providers from community health centers where these children receive care and is being distributed by providers as part of well child visits in order to emphasize the connection between sleep health and general health. The book focuses on two families of color and includes real world scenarios to illustrate the importance of sleep health to children’s well-being and practical solutions for common sleep health challenges. The book also provides a guide to sleep health tips and related activities for families.

We are also collecting feedback from families about the book and in particular how it positively impacted their child’s bedtime routine, a key feature healthy sleep, as well as information about other positive changes in sleep health.