Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown, a Nigerian physician based in Philadelphia, has founded The Restful Sleep Place, becoming the first black woman to establish a sleep clinic focused on improving the health and performance of professional women and their children through better sleep.
Dr. Afolabi-Brown, a board-certified pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine physician, addresses sleep deprivation—a condition affecting 60% of children in the U.S.—through holistic, family-centered care. Her clinic offers personalized, integrative treatments for children from infancy to 18 years old, combining medical, psychosocial, and behavioral components to create customized sleep solutions.
“Sleep deprivation doesn’t just affect the individual; it impacts the entire family unit,” says Dr. Afolabi-Brown. “When a child is sleep-deprived, their physical, mental, and emotional health suffers. Parents are often physically and mentally exhausted themselves.”
With over two decades of experience, Dr. Afolabi-Brown is driven by her mission to optimize sleep health after facing her own sleep challenges. Her innovative approach has made her a sought-after sleep expert, featuring on platforms like The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, and Baby Center.
She serves patients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California, with plans to expand nationwide. Her expertise includes chronic insomnia, behavioral sleep issues, sleep-disordered breathing, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and sleep issues in children with conditions like mental health disorders, autism, and ADHD.
Dr. Afolabi-Brown completed her Pediatric Pulmonology fellowship at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, followed by a Sleep Medicine fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Through The Restful Sleep Place, she offers patient-centered care, moving beyond the traditional rushed appointments to provide comprehensive, integrative treatment plans.
