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In this episode of the Living MaxJoy Podcast, ESF Co-Founder Michael Rouse sits down with Dr. Abigail Strang, pediatric sleep medicine specialist at Nemours Children’s Health, for a conversation on sleep, energy, and raising healthy, resilient kids. 

Meet Dr. Abigail Strang 

Dr. Strang is a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist who trained at Thomas Jefferson University, Nemours Children’s Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital. She sees patients at Nemours Children’s Hospital and affiliated locations in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and she’s passionate about helping families get better sleep. She’s also a mom, so she knows the challenge firsthand. 

The Missing Piece 

Sleep often gets overlooked next to nutrition and exercise, but Dr. Strang says it deserves equal billing. It isn’t downtime: it’s when the body recovers, growth hormone is released, and the brain processes the day. School-age kids need about 9 to 12 hours a night, and tweens and teens need about 8 to 10. Her two quick checks for a kid who’s running short: Do they wake up on their own for school, or does it take multiple wake-up calls and a morning struggle? And on weekends, are they sleeping in more than an hour or so past their usual time? If so, they’re likely catching up on lost sleep. Kids don’t always connect feeling off with being tired, so it often shows up as emotional outbursts or trouble concentrating instead. 

Active Kids, Busy Schedules 

Between 5 a.m. practices and late ice times, families can’t always control the schedule. Dr. Strang’s advice: keep every other day as consistent as possible, eat a snack in the car on late nights, and skip phones and tablets once you get home. Sleep matters for recovery too, and research in college athletes shows chronic sleep deprivation can slow healing from injuries. Before signing up for another team, she encourages families to step back and ask what the goal really is. Playing multiple sports, building in rest, and finding what your child truly enjoys can help prevent burnout and set them up to love sports for life. 

Screens Off, Lights Out 

To fall asleep, the brain needs to make melatonin, which naturally rises in the evening as it gets darker. Bright screens push that process back, so even after kids put devices away, it takes them longer to fall asleep. Dr. Strang recommends turning off personal phones and tablets an hour to 90 minutes before bed. Blue light glasses aren’t a fix either: they filter some light, but kids still get all the stimulation of the screen. One more thing to watch is hidden caffeine. Soda, green tea, and even chocolate in the afternoon can linger for hours and keep kids up. 

Routine Over Supplements 

Do kids need melatonin or magnesium to sleep? For most kids, Dr. Strang says no. Most sleep challenges can be solved with simple changes to routine. Melatonin may have a place short term and at low doses, like resetting after a trip, but there aren’t good studies on long-term use in kids. Magnesium is probably harmless, but there’s little pediatric research showing it works. Her bottom line: the routine matters more than the supplement. Keep the house a little cooler in the evening, choose calm activities together like reading, puzzles, or coloring, and keep bedtimes and wake times as consistent as you can. If your child snores loudly or has ongoing trouble sleeping, talk to your pediatrician. 

At ESF, we see every summer how much a well-rested camper gets out of the day: more energy to learn, play, and grow, and more room for the moments that make camp unforgettable. 

Want to learn more? Visit our partners at Nemours Children’s Health to explore their sleep medicine resources and services.

Listen to Episode 7 of the Living MaxJoy Podcast now, and until next time, keep living with purpose, gratitude, and MaxJoy.