Systems and methods to facilitate sleep are described. In on example, a cognitive alarm clock system for children learns sleep patterns and activities towards recommending sleep schedules and teaching independence. The system may detect the cognitive state of a child based on voice or cry pattern recognition, a time of day or night, scheduled activities, and social context, among other factors. The system may initiate actions to facilitate sleep in response to the cognitive factors. For example, the system may adjust lighting or push back a wakeup time. In another example, the system may use the cognitive analysis to teach children good sleeping habits by making recommendations to facilitate a good night's rest and encourage independence.