Current Environment: Production

Medical Services

Programs & Services

Languages

  • English

Education

Undergraduate School

Brown University

1977, Providence, RI, US

Medical School

Brown Medical School

1980, Providence, RI, US

Internship

Pediatrics

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

1981, Philadelphia, PA, US

Residency

Pediatrics

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

1983, Philadelphia, PA, US

Fellowship

Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics

Minneapolis Children's Medical Center

1985, Minneapolis, MO, US

Graduate School

Maternal & Child Health

University of Minnesota

1986, Minneapolis, MO, US

Fellowship

Child Psychiatry

Bradley Hospital

1987, East Providence, RI, US

Certifications

  • American Board of Pediatrics (General)
  • American Board of Pediatrics (Sleep Medicine)

Professional History

I am guided in my professional life by the idea of advocacy, for my own patients and for children in general.

In particular, I am a champion for healthy school start times for all students. Conclusive, evidence-based research shows that better sleep means improved performance, higher executive functioning, fewer car accidents and improved overall health in kids. I am the author of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2014 policy statement on the importance of later school start times for teenagers and I advocate on the topic from Massachusetts to India.

Sleep medicine didn't really exists as a field when I graduated from medical school in 1980. We were not trained to think that children had sleep problems. But as a young pediatrician, I kept seeing all these kids coming in with disordered sleep. I founded one of the country's first sleep clinics for children in 1993.

The Sleep Center at Boston Children's Hospital was one of the first places to take the connection between sleep and health seriously. Now as the center's director, I am committed to expanding our multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach and reaching more families trying to get a good night's rest.

I am also an expert in learning, attention and behavior in children, having directed programs in behavioral pediatrics over the past 20 years at Hasbro Children's Hospital and Brown Medical School in Providence, RI. The connection between ADHD and sleep is of particular interest in my practice.

I completed medical school at Brown University, residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and fellowships in developmental and behavioral pediatrics, child psychiatry and psychiatry and human behavior. I hold a master's degree in maternal and child health from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

I am the editor in chief of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, one of the sleep field's most respected publications. I am also on the governing council of the World Association of Sleep Medicine.  In 2006 I was awarded the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's Excellence in Education Award, and in 2012, was honored to receive the AASM Mark O. Hatfield Public Policy and Advocacy Award.

Media

Parentcast Podcast

Dr. Judith Owens is featured: How can I help my child sleep better?

Publications

  1. Earlier Bedtimes Mediate the Effect of a Brief Behavioral Sleep Intervention on Children's Weight Status. J Pediatr. 2025 Jan; 276:114265. View Abstract

  2. Associations between indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sleep-disordered breathing in an urban sample of school-aged children. Sleep Health. 2024 Aug 01. View Abstract

  3. Behavioral Intervention that Extends Sleep Duration Leads to Greater Self-Control in School-Aged Children. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2024 Sep-Oct 01; 45(5):e463-e469. View Abstract

  4. Instructional approach, sleep, and perceived academic well-being in adolescents during COVID-19: Evidence from the NESTED study. Sleep Health. 2024 Aug; 10(4):485-492. View Abstract

  5. Melatonin use in infants and toddlers. Sleep Med. 2024 Aug; 120:53-55. View Abstract

  6. Asthma and Sleep-disordered Breathing Overlap in School-aged Children. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2024 Jun; 21(6):986-989. View Abstract

  7. Periodic limb movement disorder in children: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2024 Aug; 76:101935. View Abstract

  8. A comparison of caregiver-reported snoring and objective snoring in children from urban neighborhoods. Am J Otolaryngol. 2024 Jul-Aug; 45(4):104264. View Abstract

  9. The associations between instructional approach, sleep characteristics and adolescent mental health: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep Health. 2024 Apr; 10(2):221-228. View Abstract

  10. Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring and Mild Sleep Apnea in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2023 12 05; 330(21):2084-2095. View Abstract

  11. Multilevel Risk Factors for Sleep-Disordered Breathing-Related Symptom Burden in an Urban Pediatric Community-Based Sample. CHEST Pulm. 2023 Dec; 1(3). View Abstract

  12. Building a deeper understanding of social relationship health in adolescents with narcolepsy disorder. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023 03 01; 19(3):491-498. View Abstract

  13. Con: Home Sleep Studies in Children - Are We There Yet? Sleep. 2023 Jan 17. View Abstract

  14. Adolescent sleep myths: Identifying false beliefs that impact adolescent sleep and well-being. Sleep Health. 2022 Dec; 8(6):632-639. View Abstract

  15. Validation of the Pediatric Narcolepsy Screening Questionnaire (PNSQ): A cross-sectional, observational study. Sleep Med. 2022 10; 98:127-138. View Abstract

  16. Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Sleep Quality in a Longitudinal Pediatric Cohort. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2022 07; 61(7):469-474. View Abstract

  17. Effect of changes in children's bedtime and sleep period on targeted eating behaviors and timing of caloric intake. Eat Behav. 2022 04; 45:101629. View Abstract

  18. Development and Validation of the Pediatric Hypersomnolence Survey. Neurology. 2022 05 10; 98(19):e1964-e1975. View Abstract

  19. Adolescent sleep health and school start times: Setting the research agenda for California and beyond. A research summit summary. Sleep Health. 2022 02; 8(1):11-22. View Abstract

  20. Randomized controlled trial to enhance children's sleep, eating, and weight. Pediatr Res. 2022 10; 92(4):1075-1081. View Abstract

  21. The complex impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2022 May-Jun; 98(3):221-222. View Abstract

  22. COVID-19 instructional approaches (in-person, online, hybrid), school start times, and sleep in over 5,000 U.S. adolescents. Sleep. 2021 12 10; 44(12). View Abstract

  23. Effect of a Multilayer, Extended-Release Methylphenidate Formulation (PRC-063) on Sleep in Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Fixed-Dose, Placebo-Controlled Trial Followed by a 6-Month Open-Label Follow-Up. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2021 11; 31(9):623-630. View Abstract

  24. Uncharted territory: challenges and opportunities in pediatric sleep medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond part II: the sleep laboratory. Sleep Med. 2021 12; 88:282-284. View Abstract

  25. Uncharted territory: challenges and opportunities in pediatric sleep medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond part I: clinical services and teaching and training issues. Sleep Med. 2021 12; 88:285-287. View Abstract

  26. Restless sleep in children: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2021 04; 56:101406. View Abstract

  27. Sleep in young-adult cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 11 15; 16(11):1991. View Abstract

  28. Prenatal and Childhood Tobacco Smoke Exposure Are Associated With Sleep-Disordered Breathing Throughout Early Childhood. Acad Pediatr. 2021 May-Jun; 21(4):654-662. View Abstract

  29. Consensus diagnostic criteria for a newly defined pediatric sleep disorder: restless sleep disorder (RSD). Sleep Med. 2020 11; 75:335-340. View Abstract

  30. Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Excessive Daytime Sleepiness. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2020 05; 59(4-5):340-351. View Abstract

  31. Practice guideline: Treatment for insomnia and disrupted sleep behavior in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2020 03 03; 94(9):392-404. View Abstract

  32. A quasi-experimental study of the impact of school start time changes on adolescents' mood, self-regulation, safety, and health. Sleep Health. 2019 10; 5(5):466-469. View Abstract

  33. Sleep, energy balance, and meal timing in school-aged children. Sleep Med. 2019 08; 60:139-144. View Abstract

  34. "Let's talk about sleep": a qualitative examination of levers for promoting healthy sleep among sleep-deprived vulnerable adolescents. Sleep Med. 2019 08; 60:81-88. View Abstract

  35. Drowsy Driving, Sleep Duration, and Chronotype in Adolescents. J Pediatr. 2019 02; 205:224-229. View Abstract

  36. Clinical Characteristics and Burden of Illness in Pediatric Patients with Narcolepsy. Pediatr Neurol. 2018 08; 85:21-32. View Abstract

  37. Tribute to Behavioral Sleep Medicine Reviewers. Behav Sleep Med. 2018 May-Jun; 16(3):310. View Abstract

  38. A Qualitative Assessment of the Acceptability of Smartphone Applications for Improving Sleep Behaviors in Low-Income and Minority Adolescents. Behav Sleep Med. 2019 Sep-Oct; 17(5):573-585. View Abstract

  39. Editorial. Behav Sleep Med. 2017 Nov-Dec; 15(6):421-422. View Abstract

  40. School start time effects on adolescent learning and academic performance, emotional health and behaviour. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2017 Nov; 30(6):485-490. View Abstract

  41. A quasi-experimental study of the impact of school start time changes on adolescent sleep. Sleep Health. 2017 12; 3(6):437-443. View Abstract

  42. Insomnia in Infants and Young Children. Pediatr Ann. 2017 Sep 01; 46(9):e321-e326. View Abstract

  43. Commentary on Healthy School Start Times. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017 05 15; 13(5):761. View Abstract

  44. Insufficient sleep in adolescents: causes and consequences. Minerva Pediatr. 2017 Aug; 69(4):326-336. View Abstract

  45. Association Between Short Sleep Duration and Risk Behavior Factors in Middle School Students. Sleep. 2017 Jan 01; 40(1). View Abstract

  46. Child Sleep Coaches: Current State and Future Directions. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2017 Jan; 56(1):5-12. View Abstract

  47. Self-Regulation and Sleep Duration, Sleepiness, and Chronotype in Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2016 12; 138(6). View Abstract

  48. Effect of Aptensio XR (Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release) Capsules on Sleep in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016 12; 26(10):873-881. View Abstract

  49. Insomnia, parasomnias, and narcolepsy in children: clinical features, diagnosis, and management. Lancet Neurol. 2016 10; 15(11):1170-81. View Abstract

  50. Patient Partnerships Transforming Sleep Medicine Research and Clinical Care: Perspectives from the Sleep Apnea Patient-Centered Outcomes Network. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016 07 15; 12(7):1053-8. View Abstract

  51. Editorial. Behav Sleep Med. 2016; 14(1):1. View Abstract

  52. Editor-in-Chief Commentary. Behav Sleep Med. 2015; 13(5):347-8. View Abstract

  53. Effect of energy drink and caffeinated beverage consumption on sleep, mood, and performance in children and adolescents. Nutr Rev. 2014 Oct; 72 Suppl 1:65-71. View Abstract

  54. Challenges in diagnosing narcolepsy without cataplexy: a consensus statement. Sleep. 2014 Jun 01; 37(6):1035-42. View Abstract

  55. Later school start time is associated with improved sleep and daytime functioning in adolescents. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2014 Jan; 35(1):11-7. View Abstract

  56. Sleep and technology: not always strange bedfellows. Behav Sleep Med. 2014; 12(3):255-6. View Abstract

  57. Predicting sleep apnea in morbidly obese adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery. Surg Endosc. 2014 Apr; 28(4):1146-52. View Abstract

  58. Pediatric restless legs syndrome diagnostic criteria: an update by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. Sleep Med. 2013 Dec; 14(12):1253-9. View Abstract

  59. Associations between preschoolers' daytime and nighttime sleep parameters by El-Sheikh, Arsiwalla, Staton, Dyer, and Vaughn. Behav Sleep Med. 2013 Apr; 11(2):105-7. View Abstract

  60. A letter to the editor in defense of sleep recommendations. Pediatrics. 2012 May; 129(5):987-8; author reply 989-91; discussion 988-9. View Abstract

  61. Narcolepsy in the pediatric population. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2012 Apr; 12(2):175-81. View Abstract

  62. Sleep in special needs children: the challenge. Sleep Med Rev. 2012 Apr; 16(2):115-6. View Abstract

  63. Dentistry-based approaches to sleep-disordered breathing, algorithms, and multidisciplinary perspectives. J Calif Dent Assoc. 2012 Feb; 40(2):168-81. View Abstract

  64. Neurophysiology of circadian rhythm sleep disorders of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2012 Sep; 16(5):403-12. View Abstract

  65. Update in pediatric sleep medicine. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2011 Nov; 17(6):425-30. View Abstract

  66. Caregivers' knowledge, behavior, and attitudes regarding healthy sleep in young children. J Clin Sleep Med. 2011 Aug 15; 7(4):345-50. View Abstract

  67. Parental knowledge of healthy sleep in young children: results of a primary care clinic survey. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2011 Jul-Aug; 32(6):447-53. View Abstract

  68. Pediatric restless legs syndrome: analysis of symptom descriptions and drawings. J Child Neurol. 2011 Nov; 26(11):1365-76. View Abstract

  69. Pediatric insomnia. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2011 Jun; 58(3):555-69. View Abstract

  70. Etiologies and evaluation of sleep disturbances in adolescence. Adolesc Med State Art Rev. 2010 Dec; 21(3):430-45, vii-viii. View Abstract

  71. Development of the Pediatric Restless Legs Syndrome Severity Scale (P-RLS-SS): a patient-reported outcome measure of pediatric RLS symptoms and impact. Sleep Med. 2010 Oct; 11(9):897-906. View Abstract

  72. Use of pharmacotherapy for insomnia in child psychiatry practice: A national survey. Sleep Med. 2010 Aug; 11(7):692-700. View Abstract

  73. Impact of delaying school start time on adolescent sleep, mood, and behavior. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010 Jul; 164(7):608-14. View Abstract

  74. Applying principles of good practice for translation and cross-cultural adaptation of sleep-screening instruments in children. Behav Sleep Med. 2010; 8(3):151-6. View Abstract

  75. Pharmacologic treatment of pediatric insomnia. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2009 Oct; 18(4):1001-16. View Abstract

  76. Neurocognitive and behavioral impact of sleep disordered breathing in children. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009 May; 44(5):417-22. View Abstract

  77. A clinical overview of sleep and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2009 May; 18(2):92-102. View Abstract

  78. Pharmacotherapy of pediatric insomnia. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2009 Feb; 48(2):99-107. View Abstract

  79. Sleep hygiene for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Pediatrics. 2008 Dec; 122(6):1343-50. View Abstract

  80. Sleep disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2008 Oct; 10(5):439-44. View Abstract

  81. Improving sleep hygiene. Arch Intern Med. 2008 Jun 09; 168(11):1229-30; author reply 1230. View Abstract

  82. Effect of weight, sleep duration, and comorbid sleep disorders on behavioral outcomes in children with sleep-disordered breathing. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Apr; 162(4):313-21. View Abstract

  83. The association between sleep and injury among school-aged children in rural China: a case-control study. Sleep Med. 2008 Jan; 9(2):142-8. View Abstract

  84. Use of sleep medications in hospitalized pediatric patients. Pediatrics. 2007 Jun; 119(6):1047-55. View Abstract

  85. Sleep loss and fatigue in healthcare professionals. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2007 Apr-Jun; 21(2):92-100; quiz 101-2. View Abstract

  86. Child sleep disorders: associations with parental sleep duration and daytime sleepiness. J Fam Psychol. 2007 Mar; 21(1):88-94. View Abstract

  87. The ADHD and sleep conundrum redux: moving forward. Sleep Med Rev. 2006 Dec; 10(6):377-9. View Abstract

  88. Pediatric sleep medicine: priorities for research, patient care, policy and education. J Clin Sleep Med. 2006 Jan 15; 2(1):77-88. View Abstract

  89. Sleep practices, attitudes, and beliefs in inner city middle school children: a mixed-methods study. Behav Sleep Med. 2006; 4(2):114-34. View Abstract

  90. Patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder without observed apneic episodes in sleep or daytime sleepiness have normal sleep on polysomnography. Sleep. 2005 Sep; 28(9):1143-8. View Abstract

  91. The ADHD and sleep conundrum: a review. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2005 Aug; 26(4):312-22. View Abstract

  92. The use of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of pediatric insomnia in primary care: rational approaches. A consensus meeting summary. J Clin Sleep Med. 2005 Jan 15; 1(1):49-59. View Abstract

  93. Use of the 'BEARS' sleep screening tool in a pediatric residents' continuity clinic: a pilot study. Sleep Med. 2005 Jan; 6(1):63-9. View Abstract

  94. Sleep disturbance and injury risk in young children. Behav Sleep Med. 2005; 3(1):18-31. View Abstract

  95. Sleep patterns and sleep problems among schoolchildren in the United States and China. Pediatrics. 2005 Jan; 115(1 Suppl):241-9. View Abstract

  96. Introduction: Culture and sleep in children. Pediatrics. 2005 Jan; 115(1 Suppl):201-3. View Abstract

  97. Sleep problems. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2004 Apr; 34(4):154-79. View Abstract

  98. The electronic sandman: the impact of the media on adolescent sleep. Sleep. 2004 Feb 01; 27(1):15-6. View Abstract

  99. Sleep problems in pediatric practice: clinical issues for the pediatric nurse practitioner. J Pediatr Health Care. 2003 Nov-Dec; 17(6):324-31. View Abstract

  100. Medication use in the treatment of pediatric insomnia: results of a survey of community-based pediatricians. Pediatrics. 2003 May; 111(5 Pt 1):e628-35. View Abstract

  101. Cosleeping. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2002 Aug; 23(4):254-5. View Abstract

  102. Sleepiness in children and adolescents: clinical implications. Sleep Med Rev. 2002 Aug; 6(4):287-306. View Abstract

  103. Sleep, fatigue, and medical training: an overview. Med Health R I. 2002 Mar; 85(3):82-5. View Abstract

  104. Sleep and its relationship to pain, dysfunction, and disease activity in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 2002 Jan; 29(1):169-73. View Abstract

I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a doctor. My mother was a strong role model for me, and encouraged me to be anything I could imagine. I never felt that because I was a girl I was limited or that I couldn't pursue science.

I enrolled in a combined undergraduate and medical school program at Brown University, completing both in seven years. Even as a biology major, I loved the humanities and still do—I try to make time to read a history book or biography before I leave for work in the morning. I almost became an obstetrician, and then a psychiatrist, and later pursued a social-science degree in maternal and child health. I have spent much of my career in New England, some as a general pediatrician, and I know what it is like to treat 8,000 ear infections each winter! My broad-ranging intellectual interests are central to who I am and how I approach care, research and advocacy.

I became further solidified by how sleep affects children's health when my own daughter was in high school. The headmaster of her school wanted to shift the school's start time from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.—as a pediatrician and scientist, I suggested studying the effects of that change. The results were remarkable and launched me on a path to advocate for healthy sleep habits for all kids, backed by solid evidence-based research.

As the director of the hospital's Sleep Center, I believe in helping all families struggling with a good night sleep, whether the problem is big or small. I take an individual approach to each family's situation and help parents and kids reach their goals. Changing poor sleep habits can be hard, but the evidence is clear that sleep is key to performance, health and safety.

BESbswy