Nancy Behrens MD

Dr. Nancy Behrens enjoys finding new and fun ways to teach people how to get better sleep. She's a board-certified sleep physician. Dr. Behrens has been treating patients for sleep conditions for 20 years. She is happy to share the sleep habits and relaxation techniques to help people to improve their sleep, which results in better health in every way. She is also the mother of two boys and many rescue pets. :)

Where did the idea for Good Night, Coffee Bean come from?

I adopted Coffee Bean and found she lived up to her name as a very active little hamster! She needed a safe place outside of her enclosure to explore, so I hid some treats around my dollhouse and stayed with her as she found them. I had recently fixed my dollhouse up, which was special for me and made me feel close to my grandparents again as they made it for me as a child. I took a few pictures of Coffee Bean in it, and they came out so cute - I thought, hey! I should make a book about her!

How did you find the time to put together a book as a doctor and a mom?

I am at a stage in my career where I need more work/life balance. I have teenage sons and need a little more time to take care of myself as well. Stepping back from work some allowed me to feel more creative again and focus on other things. It's been really nice.

Tell us about little Coffee Bean!

She is such a cute little hamster! I adopted her and her sister, Potato, who has the opposite little personality!, from a couple who loved them but was moving out of the country. Coffee Bean was the tiniest and only dark-colored baby in the litter. She's super busy and likes people. She'll climb right onto our hands.

She's so fast and tiny, as a dwarf hamster, she wouldn't be a good pet for a younger child who wants a pet they can handle. That's definitely something for parents to be aware of when considering getting a hamster. Even though hamsters can be fun pets for kids, they are sensitive little animals, and parents should make sure they're always taken care of and in safe situations. It was very fun to adopt a hamster as an adult and find out about all great stuff available for them nowadays. Bigger cages and better exercise wheels and toys. The better you care for your hamster, the more fun it is to see their cute little personalities come out.