For over a decade, sleep coaching expert Jen Varela has helped more than 4,500 families find the sweet sleep they’ve been deprived of and desperately needed. These families have benefited from her expertise in workshops, phone or online consultations, and group coaching. More than 900 families in the U.S. and worldwide have achieved their sleep goals through private one-on-one coaching with Jen via her company, Sugar Night Night. Jen focuses on achieving each family’s unique sleep goals, whether in co-sleeping environments, a room-sharing configuration, or having the child in a separate room. She is a firm believer in customized sleep coaching, and her gentle sleeping coaching methods are far from a one-size-fits-all approach.
Jen received “on-the-job training” while teaching her son and daughter how to self-soothe and learn good sleep habits. Through her experience, she aims to provide other parents with solutions that bring hope and strategies that work with each child’s temperament. She is a member of the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants and a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach® trained by Kim West, The Sleep Lady®; she also trained with the Infant Mental Health Community Training Program–Hospital for Sick Kids. In addition, Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton.
Jen has co-authored a book with Andrea Strang titled “Loved to Sleep.” The Loved to Sleep Method is a nurturing strategy that trades tears for time — parents invest time to reduce the amount of crying from their child and improve sleep. The “Loved to Sleep” e-book is available on Amazon. For more information, visit lovedtosleep.com or sugarnightnight.com.
Another passion of Jen’s is supporting families who are struggling with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). In 2020, she was named the first California Chapter Liaison of Postpartum Support International (PSI), which promotes greater awareness of perinatal mental health and supports families with PMADs. Prior to coming on board with PSI, Jen was the president of the San Diego based Postpartum Health Alliance.
