Methodology

There were 1,000 surveys fielded between November 19 and December 4, 2021, among U.S. parents (aged 18+) who have children aged 3 to 18.

Screening criteria ensured that respondents had children who were currently in school (pre-K to 12^th grade). If respondents had more than one child in school, then respondents answered the survey questions about only one child.

A sample size of 1,000 provides a ±3.1% margin of error at 95%.

Survey Objectives

• Understand parents’ perceptions of their child’s overall sleep and why.
  • Assess parents’ perceptions on how well their child is sleeping.
  • Understand indicators/effects of good/bad sleep (e.g., behaviors, arguments/ abnormal bad behavior, dark eye circles, etc.).
• Uncover possible causes of good/bad sleep, including:
  • Bedtime/morning routines and variances (e.g., weekend versus school nights).
  • Bedroom environment (e.g., entertainment, smartphone, computer, sharing bedrooms/beds, new/old mattress/bed, etc.).
  • Child’s mental/physical health (e.g., peer pressure, stress, asthma, etc.).
  • Major routine/schedule variances (e.g., new school/home/grade/friends/etc., parent work from home, new/lost job, etc.).
• Uncover unusual/unique behaviors that are transpiring around child’s sleep.
  • Discover unusual things parents may be trying to get their child to sleep.
  • Identify any uncommon or unique bedtime habits the child may have (e.g., special music, lights, bed checks (monsters), etc.).

Report Overview

A quick scan of news media and social media will surface numerous stories and posts about the unique challenges and stresses that children today face in school and their lives. Several previous Better Sleep Council studies have shown a relationship between stress and poor sleep. So, it comes as something of a surprise when this study found that a large majority of parents say their kids are getting the sleep they need. More than three-quarters of parents say their kids are sleeping well – having healthy sleep routines, displaying positive moods upon waking and doing well in school. This result may be in large measure because of the priority parents are placing on ensuring their kids get the sleep they need – enforcing routine weeknight bedtimes, limiting screen time and helping them get to sleep, whether by conventional methods – reading to them or telling them bedtime stories – or unconventional methods – special rewards or watching a boring movie. The study found that children who don’t have regular bedtimes and/or spend more time with devices are more likely to sleep poorly compared to their peers.

While most kids are sleeping well, many parents who say their child has experienced recent stress believe their child is not sleeping well. In this study, congruent with prior BSC studies, parents reported school – homework/tests/grades – to be the leading cause of stress for their children. Other stressors include self-esteem issues, illness and life changes, such as divorce, death in the family and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study suggests that parental involvement in regulating and enabling a good night’s sleep – as well as mitigating the effects of stress on their children – will help kids get a better night’s sleep.

Key Takeaways

A Sleep Index (SI) was created to profile school-aged children who are excellent sleepers and those who are poor sleepers (from the perception of their parents). See appendix for more details.

• Overall, 84% of parents feel their child is getting enough sleep. The top three reasons include: has a good bedtime/sleep routine (60%), wakes up in a good mood (58%) and performs well academically (58%).
• Parents who feel their child is not getting enough sleep report feeling this way because their child: stays up too late (49%), has a difficult time waking up in the morning (39%) and complains of being tired (39%).
  • According to parents, younger school-aged children tend to sleep better than older children.
• Most children (80%) have a consistent bedtime on school nights (at least three of the five nights). Despite this pattern, most children typically go to their room later on weekend nights than they do on school nights and tend to sleep in a little longer than they do during the school week.
  • Children who do not have a consistent bedtime during the week (two nights a week or less) are 3.5 times more likely to be poor sleepers than excellent sleepers.
• Children spend the greatest amount of their free time playing on electronics, with those who are poor sleepers (13.5 hours per week) spending significantly more time doing so compared to excellent sleepers (9.1 hours per week).
• Almost two-thirds of children (62%) have recently experienced some type of stress in their life. Children who have not recently experienced stress in their life are 2.4 times more likely to be excellent sleepers.
  • The top three stressors are homework (28%), grades/test scores (19%) and self-esteem issues (19%).
• Children who have recently experienced stress in their life related to each of the following are more likely to be poor sleepers than excellent: homework, grades/test scores, self-esteem issues, significant life changes and illness.
  • Significant life changes included mentions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, moving, death, divorce/family issues and trauma/mental illness.
• Most parents have tried traditional methods to help their child sleep at some point in their child’s life – many mentioned driving around in a car, sleeping with/in their child’s rooms, reading books, telling stories, singing/dancing, using melatonin, taking electronics/limiting internet – but several had some interesting ways to get their child to sleep.
  • Themes included activities such as listening to special music/sounds, watching special videos, sleeping with pets, exercise, etc.

Detailed Findings

Parents’ Perceptions of Child’s Sleep

What age of children in school are sleeping the best in America?

• Younger school-aged children tend to sleep better than older children, according to parents.
  • High schoolers represent 37% of poor sleepers compared to 24% of excellent sleepers.

Do children have a consistent bedtime on school nights? [1]

• Most children (80%) have a consistent bedtime on school nights (at least three of the five nights) and extracurriculars do not seem to have an impact on when children go to bed on school nights. [2]
  • Excellent sleepers (58%) are 2.5 times more likely than poor sleepers (23%) to have a consistent bedtime all five school nights per week. The vast majority of excellent sleepers (89%) have a consistent bedtime at least three of the five school nights each week compared to 62% of poor sleepers.
  • Children who do not have a consistent bedtime during the week (two nights a week or less) are 3.5 times more likely to be poor sleepers than excellent sleepers (these children make up 38% of poor sleepers compared to 11% of excellent sleepers).

When do children generally go to their room for the night? [3] When do they go to sleep? [4]

• Most children typically go to their room later on weekend nights than they do on school nights and tend to sleep in a little longer than they do during the school week.
  • On school nights, kids who go to bed earlier (before 9 p.m.) make up 59% of excellent sleepers compared to 40% of poor sleepers.
  • On school nights, kids who go to bed later (after 10 p.m.) make up 24% of poor sleepers compared to 10% of excellent sleepers.
• After children go to their room on school nights, it takes poor sleepers (50.3 minutes), on average, about twice as long to actually go to sleep compared to excellent sleepers (28.4 minutes), with 40% of excellent sleepers falling asleep within 15 minutes compared to 16% of poor sleepers. On the other hand, 30% of poor sleepers fall asleep at least one hour after going to their room for the night on school nights compared to 9% of excellent sleepers (likely because poor sleepers are on a device).
• Children getting between 9-10 hours of sleep per school night are 2.1 times more likely to be excellent sleepers than poor sleepers, whereas children getting less than 7 hours of sleep per school night are 8.5 times more likely to be poor sleepers than excellent sleepers.
  • On weekend nights, kids who go to bed after midnight make up 25% of poor sleepers compared to 10% of excellent sleepers. [5]

Are children getting enough sleep? [6] And how do parents know? [7]

• Overall, 84% of parents feel their child IS getting enough sleep.
• Of those who feel their child IS getting enough sleep, the top reasons for feeling that way are because their child:
  • Has a good bedtime/sleep routine (60%).
  • Wakes up in a good mood (58%).
  • Performs well academically (56%).
  • Stays asleep and does not wake up at night (54%).
  • Does not complain of being tired (52%).
  • Wakes up on time in the morning (50%).
• Parents who feel their child is NOT getting enough sleep feel that way because their child:
  • Stays up too late (49%).
  • Has a difficult time waking up in the morning (39%).
  • Complains of being tired (39%).
  • Wakes up in a grumpy mood (38%).
  • Does not have a good bedtime/sleep routine (33%).

Factors That Impact Children’s Sleep

What do children do before bed that impacts their quality of sleep?

• Children who typically have a sugary drink/snack an hour or less before bed/whenever they want to represent 32% of poor sleepers/20% of excellent sleepers (1.6 times more likely to be a poor sleeper). [8]
• Children who have access to/use smartphones before bed on school nights represent 65% of poor sleepers/47% of excellent sleepers (1.4 times more likely to be poor sleepers). [9]
  • Children who do not use smartphones or tablets before bed on school nights are 1.8 times more likely to be excellent sleepers than poor sleepers.
• If children have access to/use smartphones or tablets before bed on school nights and their time is never/rarely restricted, then they represent 54% of poor sleepers/38% of excellent sleepers (1.4 times more likely to be poor sleepers). But if their time is always/often restricted, then they represent 46% of excellent sleepers/25% of poor sleepers (1.8 times more likely to be excellent sleepers); it’s likely not the device but rather the parental restriction that determines whether kids sleep well or not. [10]
• Children who typically read before bed on a school night represent 42% of excellent sleepers/26% of poor sleepers (1.6 times more likely to be an excellent sleeper). [11]
• Children who typically play games with family (not video games) before bed on a school night represent 33% of excellent sleepers/19% of poor sleepers (1.7 times more likely to be an excellent sleeper).
• Children who typically pray/meditate before bed on a school night represent 26% of excellent sleepers/11% of poor sleepers (2.4 times more likely to be an excellent sleeper).
• Children who typically play electronics/video games before bed on a school night represent 44% of poor sleepers/36% of excellent sleepers (1.2 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).
• Children who typically use a device to communicate with friends before bed on a school night represent 40% of poor sleepers/28% of excellent sleepers (1.4 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).
• Children who regularly use a device to go to sleep at night represent 35% of poor sleepers/21% of excellent sleepers (1.7 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).

Based on what was typed into “Other”:

• A handful of children draw/do craft projects/puzzles before bed and some exercise/do physical activities.
• Some parents give their children melatonin before bed.
• Some kids sleep with a special pillow/body pillow or weighted blanket.

Do medical conditions prevent children from getting a good night’s sleep? [12]

• Children with at least one type of medical/mental health condition are 1.9 times more likely to be poor sleepers – they represent 70% of poor sleepers/37% of excellent sleepers (driven by anxiety, allergies, ADD/ADHD).
  • Parents of Poor Sleepers (30%) are significantly more likely than parents of Average Sleepers (16%) and Excellent Sleepers (10%) to say that their child has anxiety.
• The children of parents who feel they have a great relationship with their child represent 94% of excellent sleepers/87% of poor sleepers. [13]
• The children of parents who feel their child has a solid friend base represent 77% of excellent sleepers/60% of poor sleepers (1.3 times more likely to be an excellent sleeper).
• The children of parents who feel their child does a good job eating healthy foods represent 72% of excellent sleepers/38% of poor sleepers (1.9 times more likely to be an excellent sleeper).
• The children of parents who feel their child needs to spend more time outside/being active represent 67% of poor sleepers/47% of excellent sleepers (1.4 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).
• The children of parents who feel their child spends too much time on devices represent 71% of poor sleepers/38% of excellent sleepers (1.9 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).
• The children of parents who feel their child eats too much junk food/fast food represent 54% of poor sleepers/23% of excellent sleepers (2.3 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).
• The children of parents who feel their child has a difficult time being in social situations represent 37% of poor sleepers/15% of excellent sleepers (2.5 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).
• The children of parents who feel their child struggles to keep up in school represent 30% of poor sleepers/17% of excellent sleepers (1.8 times more likely to be a poor sleeper).

How do children spend their free time? [14]

• Children spend the greatest amount of their free time playing on electronics, with those who are poor sleepers (13.5 hours per week) spending significantly more time doing so compared to excellent sleepers (9.1 hours per week).
  • Children who do not spend any time doing the following activities each week represent a significantly higher portion of poor sleepers than excellent sleepers:
    • Homework (2.0 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if no time is spent)
    • Participating in sports (1.5 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if no time is spent)
    • Social activities (1.7 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if no time is spent)
    • Playing outside (2.3 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if no time is spent)
    • Reading for leisure (2.1 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if no time is spent)
    • Working/doing chores (2.1 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if no time is spent)

Have children recently experienced stress? [15]

• Almost two-thirds of children (62%) have recently experienced some type of stress in their life.
• Children who have not recently experienced stress in their life are 2.4 times more likely to be excellent sleepers – they represent 45% of excellent sleepers/19% of poor sleepers.
• Children who have recently experienced stress in their life related to each of the following are more likely to be poor sleepers than excellent:
  • Homework (1.7 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if experienced stress)
  • Grades/test scores (1.6 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if experienced stress)
  • Self-esteem issues (2.5 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if experienced stress)
  • *Significant life changes (1.6 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if experienced stress)
  • Illness (1.9 times more likely to be a poor sleeper if experienced stress)

Based on what was typed into “Other”:

• For some, the COVID-19 pandemic caused stress and made it difficult to transition back and forth between virtual learning and bricks-and-mortar learning.

* We probed deeper into “significant life change” and several themes were present, some of which may also be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. [16]

COVID-19 Pandemic

• Well, the pandemic has made her worry, and she’s a worrier like me. She missed her friends, and she knows it still isn’t safe … so maybe I have something to do with it also by telling her she needs to be careful, but to me, it’s either have her worry or get really sick.
• They had to go through a pandemic and couldn’t be kids! It messed her up mentally.
• The pandemic has affected her whole routine and mental health. Also, a family emergency happened a few months ago and she has been depressed.
• I think COVID-19 has turned everyone’s life around.
• COVID-19 and everything becoming remote has become stressful on all of us.

Moved (and many are struggling to make friends, some also related to the COVID-19 pandemic)

• We’ve moved to a new home, and the pandemic restrictions have made him feel isolated.
• We moved to a new state where neither him nor I know anyone.
• We moved from a different state, and he had to start a new school. He misses his friends.
• We made a huge move, then had to turn around and move again, causing him to change from school to school and home to home. All this because of financial hardship.
• Moved across the country when I lost my job.

Death

• My son’s dad died, we moved into a new house, and they are in new classrooms.
• My oldest son, who was 18, passed away back in March, so my other children are still taking it pretty hard.
• His grandfather has just recently died, and his older sister just recently moved, so those two things I believe are the two serious life changes that are causing him sadness.
• Since December 2019, we have lost three family members and moved twice.

Divorce/Family Issues

• Struggling with custody issues.
• Stepparent and mom breaking up.
• She is my stepchild, and sometimes her biological mom goes weeks without contacting her.
• Parents divorced. Father is very distant and picks one child over the other.
• Moved from one parent’s house to the other.
• Horrible separation between mother and stepfather. Moved to a new city.
• Her dad got up and walked out. Moved to a different state, leaving us in a financial crisis. She experiences emotional stress. Sees no positivity from him or his family. Her brother and sisters are the same way.
• Aunt and niece with special needs moved in, there are new rules, less space, more noise.

Trauma/Mental Illness

• She’s been through several traumas, she has mental illnesses, and she is bullied at school.
• Domestic abuse, his biological dad was very abusive toward us.
• He has social anxiety, and with the COVID-19 pandemic happening, we had to start home-schooling him.
• Divorce came up quite a bit in terms of a significant life change stress point for children. Children whose parents are married represent 59% of excellent sleepers and 49% of poor sleepers.

When asked, most parents have tried traditional methods to help their child sleep at some point in their child’s life – many mentioned driving around in a car, sleeping with/in their child’s room, reading books, telling stories, singing/dancing, using melatonin, taking electronics/limiting internet – but several had some interesting ways to get their child to sleep. [17]

• When my son was a baby, he would only fall asleep if you hummed the Darth Vader march from “Star Wars” to him. Now, he hates “Star Wars.”
• For my youngest, I bought something called Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit. I was desperate, and it was what I considered expensive, but it worked.
• We used to tell my youngest daughter that we would take her back to the zoo to live with the monkeys if she didn’t go to bed.
• They’ve tried putting a water-filled glove on her back to make her think mom’s hand was still there. It’s worked twice.
• We have a device called Muse, and it has an app that’s like a meditation device. It helps each of the people in my house relax and pay attention to breathing. Very successful.
• My daughter sometimes asked to be in bed with our two dogs. She said it relaxes her to sleep well.
• Our kids used to get a “winning wrestling belt” as a reward for whoever got in bed and stayed in bed first. It was one of those blingy belts wrestlers wear.
• Put on a boring movie (he hates musicals) like “Hello, Dolly,” which I love. He went to bed but listened to his music. So, this was unsuccessful!
• I was blocking internet signal at night, but then he tossed and turned trying to fall asleep. By allowing internet signal, he’ll usually watch shows on his phone until he falls asleep.
• Sometimes we imagine a special place to meet each other in our dreams, and we’re very descriptive and talk about the place and activities there.
• Sometimes me or my father would take my kids for car rides trying to get them to go to sleep. We would go spotlighting for deer and the kids would go to sleep.
• When she was young, she had a hard time falling asleep, so we bought her a special book that was supposed to work. The book worked so well that we decided not to use it anymore because it scared us that we were hypnotizing her or mentally coercing her!
• Telling her that the cat needed her to lay down with him because he couldn’t fall asleep without somebody being next to him.
• A few years ago, my friend got her 8-year-old child a tent that goes over their bed. It worked!
• Playing house with my children, where they are the parents and get my husband and I ready for bed. They mimic what we do to get them ready for bed, then tuck us in and read to us, and they then go into their rooms and go to bed. When we get up and check on them, they are fast asleep in their beds. It is adorable and works every time. Reverse role-play has worked for us.
• My youngest loved to fall asleep to the sound of the vacuum cleaner, so I just had very clean floors for about three years.
• A little before bath time, we would take a little jog. If it was cold, then we would run up and down the stairs a bit to get them sleepy. Worked like a charm.
• Honestly, I bought a small indoor trampoline and often let the kids jump on it like crazy about an hour before bedtime. It’s great exercise, they have fun, and it wears them out to be able to sleep without any distractions because it exhausts them after a while.
• We have a pretty consistent routine. Of course, that includes tucking in every single one of his stuffed animals, which can be time consuming, but it helps him relax, so it’s worth it.
• We watch fish swim on YouTube, and it puts him right to sleep.
• I used to rub his eyebrows and he would fall asleep quickly. Now, he’s too old for that. LOL
• My secret trick with both my children is to turn off all the lights. Then, I sit or lay with them. Then, I slowly let my eyes close, taking 5 seconds to close them. I keep them closed for 10 seconds, then repeat. Works every time, even on my 17-year-old child. It’s comforting and strategic. Takes 10-15 minutes. Then, I creep out of the room. It’s almost like a form of hypnotizing. Yet to tell my wife this trick. She still wonders how I do it.
• Make them watch a very old, boring movie with me until they get tired. It was successful after waiting 20 minutes while watching a movie.
• I never really had a problem with my children having any problems with sleeping until after the passing of my son. I’ve dealt with that by making sure my children know that he is just fine and praying at nighttime to God and being able to do little things like write him letters and put them in shoeboxes, and I let them know that he gets them in heaven when they write them here.
• Threaten to put water in ear.
• I told him that whoever sleeps early, the tooth fairy comes to his bed and puts money for him. It was a very successful way of convincing him.
• My son has ADHD, so finding a calming routine is hard enough, but on top of that, keeping still long enough to relax. So, I used to brush his hair, then braid it, then unbraided it, then brush, then braid, then unbraided – repetition was key for us.
• Used Febreze as “monster spray.”
• They are allowed two small pieces of candy right before they lay down. It’s not a bribe, it’s an exchange.
• Playing first one asleep wins a prize.
• Singing Irish drinking songs.
• Told them they could meet each other in their dreams.
• I used to have to lay in bed with him and fake sleeping for him to sleep or play a certain type of music through Alexa. I also used to have Alexa read him bedtime stories.

Appendix

Sleep Index

A simple Sleep Index (SI) was created to profile school-aged children who are excellent sleepers and those who are poor sleepers (from the perception of their parents). The SI is calculated using the following questions:

Q6. In general, do you feel your child is getting enough sleep?

Q7. Overall, how would you describe your child’s sleep in a typical week?

The index yielded three groups, as depicted below, for analysis purposes.

Parent Profile

Child Profile

[1] Q4. Does your child have a consistent bedtime on school nights?

[2] Q4A. In general, do extracurriculars (sports, cheer, band, etc.) have an impact on when your child goes to bed on school nights?

[3] Q2. What time does your child generally go to their room for the night?

[4] Q3. How long after your child goes to their room for the night on school nights do you think it takes them to actually fall asleep?

[5] Q5. How many hours of sleep do you think your child typically gets?

[6] Q6. In general, do you feel your child is getting enough sleep? Q7. Overall, how would you describe your child’s sleep in a typical week?

[7] Q7A. Why do say that? Please provide as much detail as possible. [OPEN END] Q8. What makes you think your child IS getting enough sleep? Please select all that apply. Q9. What makes you think your child is NOT getting enough sleep? Please select all that apply.

[8] Q9A. In general, how many hours before bed does your child have their last… [caffeinated beverage, sugary drink/sugary snack]

[9] Q9B. Which of the following, if any, does your child have access to and/or typically use when they go to bed… [smartphone, tablet/iPad]

[10] Q9C. Do you restrict the screen time on your child’s device before bed on school nights?

[11] Q10A. We understand all kids are different and each child may prefer different activities in the evenings before going to bed/sleep. What does your child do in the evenings before going to bed/to sleep on school nights (Sunday – Thursday)? Please select all that apply. We would love to hear if your child does something special or unique that is not listed below (if so, please type in as much detail as possible in “Other.”)

[12] Q14. Does your child have any of the following conditions that may prevent them from getting a good night’s sleep?

[13] Q15. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements when it comes to your child.

[14] Q16. About how many hours per week does your child spend on each of the following activities?

[15] Q17. Has your child recently experienced stress related to any of the following items? Please select all that apply.

[16] Q17A. Please explain a little bit about the significant life change(s) that has/have recently caused stress for your child.

[17] Q18. Many parents struggle with getting their kids to sleep (and to sleep well). In the past, what are some funny or unusual things you and/or your close friends/family members have tried to get your/their child(ren) to sleep? Were they successful? Unsuccessful? Were they time-consuming? What got you to try a new strategy? Please be as detailed as possible so we can truly appreciate the struggle!

• Overall, our assessment found that more than one in five working adults take a nap during the workday (this measure includes naps taken during and outside of work breaks).
• Napping during the workday is driven by people working from home or in hybrid situations (i.e., Americans who work in a flexible environment that include both an office setting and a remote location), who are two times more likely to take naps during the workday than their in-office counterparts.
• Napping is more common among younger working adults. Generation Z are 3.4 times and Millennials are 2.5 times more likely to take naps during the workday than Boomers.
• Regardless of how long they take or where they are taken, naps are restorative! Eighty-seven percent of those who nap during the workday say naps are “refreshing.” They are particularly restorative for parents with children at home, who are 1.6 times more likely to say naps are “very” refreshing compared to working adults with no children at home.

The research consisted of an online survey, representative of working adults 18 and older within the United States. It was administered between July 23 and July 26, 2021, among a sample of 800 respondents. The sample size provides 95% confidence + 3.5%.

OVERALL FINDINGS

Over one in five (22%) working adults take naps during the workday (including during breaks).

Q2 – Which of the following have you done during the workday (including during breaks) in the past month? (Check all that apply.)

On average, working Americans take half-hour naps (the average is 29 minutes). But there are exceptions: nearly one in 10 nappers take at least one hour-long nap during the workday.

Q5 – Approximately how long is your typical nap? 

Regardless of how long naps last, nearly all are restorative. Eighty-seven percent of those who nap during the workday find naps refreshing. Naps are most refreshing to people with children at home.

Q4 – How refreshed did you feel after napping?

Most naps taken during the workday are taken in bed (53%) or on a sofa (41%). Yet nearly one-quarter of Americans napping during the workday sleep in a chair or in their car (or truck). Sleeping at a desk, on the floor or anywhere they can are less common, but something one in 10 working Americans do.

Q3 – Where did you nap? (Check all that apply.)

WHO IS more likely to take a nap during the workday?

Q2 – Which of the following have you done during the workday (including during breaks) in the past month? (Check all that apply.)

Not surprisingly, people working from home or in hybrid situations are twice as likely to nap during the workday than those working in an office setting. (Respectively, 2.4 times among people working at home and 2.2 times among people working hybrid.)

Younger generations are more likely to take a nap during the workday than older cohorts. Gen Z and Millennials are respectively 3.4 times and 2.5 times more likely to take naps during the workday than Boomers.

Workers with lower income are also more likely to nap during the workday. Workers with a yearly household income under $50,000 are 1.6 times more likely to nap during this time than those earning $100,000 or more.

Survey Details: Better Sleep Council August 2021

[1] An alphabetical code letter has been assigned to groups (e.g., A, B, C, etc.) throughout this report. If a percentage within one group is significantly greater than a corresponding percentage in a second group, then the code letter from the second group appears next to the percentage in the first group.

Time bomb

Half of all parents say that Daylight Saving Time affects their kids and 29% feel that the change makes it harder to get their kids to sleep. For kids who have trouble sleeping after the time change, 34% of their parents say it takes two or more days to get their children back into a routine, while 31% report it takes six days or more. That is a long, exhausting week for parents who themselves are tired from the change.

Parental perspectives

32% of moms are more likely to feel their kids’ sleep is disturbed after Daylight Saving Time, compared to 22% of dads. Stay-at-home and unemployed parents also notice the difference more, with 36% feeling the time change impacts their children, as opposed to 25% of parents who work full-time. 37% of parents who use childcare notice sleep issues with their kids related to the time change, while only 25% of those who do not use childcare report this.

Dreams deferred

Helping children get enough sleep is a concern many parents face. 24% of parents report they think their children don’t sleep enough in general. And 48% of the parents whose kids don’t get enough sleep note that it is at the very least somewhat frustrating to get their kids to go to sleep on a typical night. Parents of tweens and teens are even more likely to feel frustrated about this.

So long slumber

Parents who believe their kids don’t enough sleep on a regular basis are more likely to notice a difference in children’s sleep when the time changes. 37% of those same parents report a problem with their child’s sleep after the seasonal change, while 25% of parents who normally say their children get enough sleep also see a problem at this time.

Tips for tuck-ins

Don’t let Daylight Saving Time cause family drama. These tips will help your kids get back into their regular sleep pattern after the time change goes into effect:

• Sneak up on sleep. In the week before the time change, try to put your kids to bed 15 minutes earlier each night to help them gradually get used to the time change.
• Steps to slumber. Your kids likely already have a bedtime routine. Stick with it and consider adding an extra step or two like reading a book together or having them take a warm bath or shower to help relax before bed.
• Eat like an early bird. Avoid feeding your kids heavy meals at least 2 to 3 hours before bed. Eating too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep quality.

Survey Details: Better Sleep Council April 2017

Survey Shows Sleep Loss May Be Self-Inflicted

Even though Americans are in the midst of what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called a national sleep epidemic, U.S. adults consistently choose against getting more sleep. Consider the following:

We love our sleep …

• Most Americans (82%) find one extra hour of sleep at night somewhat or extremely valuable
  • Adults 55+ are less likely than other age groups to find an extra hour of sleep valuable
  • Women find an extra hour of sleep more valuable than men
• Most Americans (79%) would feel better and more prepared for the day with an extra hour of sleep
  •  Adults 55+ are less likely than other age groups to feel this way
  •  More women than men would feel better and more prepared for the day with an extra hour of sleep
• 50% of all Americans say they would feel somewhat or extremely frustrated if they lost an hour of sleep at night and it wasn’t by choice
  • Adults 55+ are less likely than other age groups or the general population to feel this way
  • Women are more likely than men to feel this way
• More than half (55%) of all Americans feel that they do not have enough time in the day
  • Adults 55+ are less likely than other age groups to feel this way
  • Women are more likely than men to feel this way

 … But not more than other activities

• Only 26% of Americans would choose sleep over other activities if they were given an extra hour in the day
  • 18- to 34-year-olds are less likely than all other age groups to use an extra hour to sleep
  • Women are more likely than men to choose an extra hour of sleep over an activity
  • However, of all the respondents who feel they don’t get enough sleep in a day, only 35% of them would choose sleep over another activity during Daylight Saving Time
    • 40% of them would rather relax (13%), have sex (12%), spend time with family/friends (9%) or exercise (6%) than sleep
• Adults who do not work outside of the home are more likely to select sleep over another activity if given an extra hour in a day than those who work full-time or part-time
• About one-third (30%) of all respondents thought an extra hour of sleep a night was worth $100 or more
• About half of adults (49%) do not feel they get enough sleep; however, adults 55+ are less likely than other age groups to feel this way
  • Adults 35-54 are least likely to feel they get enough sleep
  • Adults who work full-time are more likely to feel that they do not get enough sleep; however, they do get as much sleep as other adults on weekdays and more on weekends

When do we get the most sleep?

• Americans 35-54 sleep the least on weekdays
• 65% of Americans get 7 hours or more of sleep on weekends, which is significantly more than on weekdays (48%)
• About three-quarters (73%) of Americans would rather lose an hour of sleep on the weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) than a weekday; Saturday was the top pick (34%). Reasons included:
  • Not a workday; don’t have to work the next day; can sleep in because it’s a weekend (30%)
  • No obligations/least activity; easy day; family day; day of fun; slow day; least effect on this day (22%)
  • Make it up on Sunday; sleep in on Sunday; extra day to adjust (16%)

Survey Details: Conducted in first quarter 2014 with a statistically representative sample of U.S. adults (18+); a sample size of 1,061 yields a confidence interval of 95% +/- 3% .

Overall Findings and Statistics:

Americans know they’re sleep deprived, and they’re doing little to change that.

• Half of Americans (48%) say they don’t get enough sleep, but less than half of them take any one specific action to help them get better sleep
• More women feel that they are not getting enough sleep (53%) than men (44%)
• Adults 35 to 54 years old feel more sleep-deprived (52%) than other adults (44% for adults 18 to 34, and 42% for adults 55 and older)
• Women are more in tune to sleep needs, yet suffer more from lack of sleep than men
• Women try to get better sleep by focusing on the comfort of their sleep area. 50% of women use a comfortable mattress and bedding to aid sleep, compared to less than 40% of men.
• Almost half (47%) of adults who do get enough sleep use a comfortable mattress. They also tend to have a consistent bedtime and wake-up time schedule (25% vs. 19% for those who feel they do not get enough sleep).
• Men are more ignorant to the effects of sleep deprivation
• 45% of men believe we can train ourselves to need less sleep, a myth that has been proven false through various studies

So how do we deal with sleepiness?

• Close to one-third of adults (31%) always turn to coffee or caffeinated beverages as their way to make up for lost sleep
• Less than one-quarter of adults always use healthy methods like naps, breaks and going for walks to deal with sleepiness

Serious health issues related to sleep deprivation are documented, yet most people are skeptical of the connection.

• Almost 80% of Americans agree that a lack of sleep causes problems like difficulty concentrating and increased stress
• Yet while recent studies show that a lack of quality sleep contributes to serious medical issues, less than 30% of adults strongly agree that lack of sleep contributes to memory loss (29%), heart disease (23%), strokes (22%) and diabetes (20%)

When asked what happens when they’re sleep-deprived, many Americans reported out-of-the-ordinary behavior:

• “It’s like drunk driving”
• “Hallucinations, madness, death”
• “Just being plain mean to the world … I’m so cranky and unpleasant when I do not get enough sleep. My mind is sluggish and I feel worthless.”
• “My moods get more volatile when I’m sleep-deprived, and I swing rapidly between snappish and giddy, which is exhausting in and of itself”
• “Makes a zombie out of you”
• “I get bags under my eyes when I don’t get enough sleep”

Survey Details: Conducted in April 2013 with a statistically representative sample of U.S. adults (18+); a sample size of 1,000 yields a confidence interval of 95% +/- 3%.

Survey Finds Americans Willing to Sacrifice to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Many Americans are so tired they prefer sleep to sex and find themselves falling asleep at all the wrong times.

Sleep wins out over sex

Sleep is the activity most people now long for the most in bed.

• 6 in 10 Americans crave sleep more than sex
• Some admit to falling asleep during sex
• 58% of men crave sex (over sleep) compared to women ( 21%)
• 79% of women crave sleep (over sex) compared to men (42%)

Sleep starvation leads to sleeping around

Americans are so tired that they don’t even need to be in bed to sleep.

• 45% of Americans fall asleep some place other than their mattress once a week or more
• One-third of Americans are “sleeping around” (sleeping someplace other than their own mattress) more than once a week; 1 in 10 does so each day
• 67% of Americans admit to falling asleep in other places every few weeks
• 14% of men nod off or fall asleep somewhere other than their bed each day, compared to 8% of women

Americans find sleep in strange places

People are so tired they are falling asleep anytime and anywhere.

• 12% have dozed off at work (double this if you include students)
• 10% have fallen asleep at school
• 7% of Americans nod off in church
• 7% admit to sleeping in the car (some of those while driving!)
• 6% have slept on public transportation
• 4% couldn’t stay awake at a movie theater
• 4% have fallen asleep in a bathroom
• 3% caught some shut-eye in a meeting

Some other unusual places people have found themselves sleeping include:

• On a tree or roof
• While walking
• At a casino
• During a funeral
• In a swamp
• At drag races
• In an elevator
• During yoga classes
• At the dentist
• On a ski lift
• In a tank
• While in military formation
• On a saw horse
• At a bar
• During a rock concert

Getting to the bottom of sleep problems

Many people blame their mattress for their lack of sleep.

• As many Americans admit to hating their mattress (8%) as those who love it (7%)
• Two-thirds of Americans are unsatisfied with time spent on their mattress
• 28% of 18- to 34-year-olds have a mattress older than 5 years old
• 44% of 35- to 54-year-olds have a mattress older than 5 years old
• 54% of 55-year-olds+ have a mattress older than 5 years old

Survey Details: Conducted in first quarter 2012 with a statistically representative sample of U.S. adults (18+); a sample size of 1,000 yields a confidence interval of 95% +/- 3% .

Survey Shows Sleeping Together Can Be Problematic

American couples are are not spending every night together, and in fact many find that sleeping separately leads to a better night’s sleep.

Sleep separation solves slumber problems

The perfect night’s sleep means getting some space for most couples.

• 63% of couples sleep most of the night separated
• 26% of respondents reported sleeping better alone
• 20% percent, or one in five, claim to “cling to their respective corners”
• 9% percent, or almost one in 10, say they sleep in separate bedrooms
• Almost 2 in 10 Americans say their dream home has separate master bedrooms

Women are losing more ZZZs than their partners

Women are more sensitive to their sleep environment than men.

• 20% of men claim not to have any problems sleeping vs. 12% of women
• 44% of women claim that tossing and turning keeps them up at night vs. 34% of men
• 42% of women claim that snoring keeps them up at night vs. 20% of men
• 60% of women say that their sleep environment keeps them awake more than their sleep partner, while only 48% of men make this claim

Young adults don’t sleep as well as older adults

Age impacts how greatly your sleeping environment affects you.

• 66% of 18- to 34-year-olds claim to have issues sleeping
• 53% of 35- to 54-year-olds claim to have issues sleeping
• 49% of adults 55 and older claim to have issues sleeping

Aging leads to more distance in bed for couples

55-year-olds and older are the least likely to cuddle close and spoon (only 7% report doing this), compared to:

• 19% of 18- to 34-year-olds
• 15% of 35- to 54-year-olds

55-year-olds and older are more likely to sleep in separate bedrooms (only 16% do so), compared to:

• 3% of 18- to 34-year-olds
• 7% of 35- to 54-year-olds

Most Americans are not dozing off easily

A huge majority of American adults (85%) report they have problems sleeping at night and say it is due to:

• Temperature in the room (43%)
• Spouse/partner tossing and turning (40%)
• Snoring (32%)
• Mattress quality, age and/or firmness (28%)
• Mattress size (10%)

Couples will do anything to get some shut-eye

We asked American adults in relationships to tell us the craziest things they’ve done to get around sleep issues with their partners. Here’s what some people said:

• Ask him to sleep in the living room
• I just try to remember there will come a day when I might not hear that snoring
• I have perfected defensive sleeping. I cling to my side, waking up to rearrange my husband, so he won’t punch or kick me during the night. I use my feet to keep track of where he is. I also kick back.
• Have a multitude of pillows that I can almost hide in to sleep
• I only sleep in the bed with my partner for our alone time together and then I get up and go sleep in a recliner
• When snoring becomes a problem I ask him to sleep in our spare room
• Wear ear plugs
• Wear ear muffs
• I’ve changed my sleeping schedule
• We take naps at different times of the day ALONE. That helps later that night. AND yes, we are retired (thank goodness).
• I wear pajamas and a sweatshirt and use an afghan over our light blanket to keep me warm. My husband sleeps nude and likes only the light blanket. Now I’m warm enough, and I sleep very well.
• I’m fine with the cool temps as long as I bundle up. Now we both sleep very well, right next to each other, always touching in some way.
• If he starts the snoring routine, he is sent to the sofa
• King-size comforter on a queen-size bed
• Make more whoopee
• Sleeping head to foot
• Twin beds
• We each use our own blankets
• We usually put a pillow or blanket between us so he doesn’t roll over on me
• I make him wear socks to bed so he doesn’t scratch me with his toenails
• When feeling restless, I throw a blanket on the floor, and lie there till I get sleepy again

Survey Details: Conducted in September 2012 with a statistically representative sample of U.S. adults (18+) in a committed relationship; a sample size of 542 yields a confidence interval of 95% +/- 4.2% .