Research Further Highlights the Effect of Children’s Sleep on Family Sleep and Well-Being
WASHINGTON, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) today released new data showing nearly half of all children in the U.S. are not getting the sleep they need, and it’s impacting the whole family. The research comes from NSF’s 2026 Sleep in America® Poll, released during Sleep Awareness Week® (March 8-14) as part of the NSF’s ongoing commitment to help anyone and everyone be their Best Slept Self®.
This focus builds on NSF’s previous evidence from the U.S. population about sleep in children, adolescents, adults, and families and expands NSF’s perspective on family sleep health. Results from U.S. parents confirm young children are a central part of the family unit’s sleep health, and the sleep of one member of the family can impact the sleep of other family members. Understanding more about how children sleep gives important insight and context for establishing healthy sleep practices for the whole family.
New findings from the 2026 Sleep in America® Poll include:
Children Aren’t Sleeping Enough
- Nearly half of U.S. children (44%) do not consistently get the recommended amount of sleep for their age. Younger children are especially likely to fall short.
Parents Underestimate Children’s Sleep Needs
- Parents underestimate how much sleep their child needs, often by more than an hour per day compared with National Sleep Foundation recommendations.
Children’s Sleep Affects the Whole Family
- Nearly everyone (95%) agrees that good sleep is essential to overall family functioning.
- Almost 9 in 10 (86%) parents report that good sleep improves behavior and mood.
- Nearly seven in ten parents say poor sleep negatively affects their child’s mood and daytime functioning.
- Four in five parents say their own sleep suffers when their child sleeps poorly.
Change Starts with Parents
- Nearly half of parents rarely or never talk with their children about the importance of sleep.
“These findings reveal a gap between the sleep children need and what those closest to them say they actually get,” said Joseph Dzierzewski, PhD, SVP of Research and Scientific Affairs, National Sleep Foundation. “When nearly half of U.S. children aren’t getting the sleep they need, and at the same time many parents aren’t championing evidence-based recommendations, we’re facing a knowledge gap that challenges public health. Poor sleep in childhood is linked to impaired learning, emotional dysregulation, and long-term health consequences. Closing this gap starts with education, and it starts at home.”
NSF’s research underscores the importance of children’s sleep for family sleep health. When one family member sleeps poorly, the effects ripple through the entire household. As Sleep Awareness Week 2026 approaches, NSF urges families to prioritize sleep as a non-negotiable pillar of well-being like nutrition and physical activity and adopt a culture of healthy sleep that works for their family unit.
“We’re seeing more signals this year that prompt us to double-down on helping parents and caregivers set the tone for healthy sleep in the household, starting with their support for kids of all ages, but including their own sleep as well,” said John Lopos, CEO, National Sleep Foundation. “Every family is different and there’s no magic solution, except that deciding to talk to kids now and set a healthy example can help the whole family and travel with kids for a lifetime.”
NSF encourages families to practice the following evidence-based healthy sleep behaviors together to build a healthy sleep culture and be a Best Slept® Family:
- Spend time in the sun or bright light in the morning. This helps jumpstart your body clock.
- Play or exercise regularly. Aim for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
- Cut caffeine after noon as a household rule. This includes coffee, sodas, teas, energy drinks, or caffeinated snacks. This means adults modeling the behavior, too, not just enforcing it for children.
- Eat dinner at least two hours before bedtime. Larger meals too close to target bedtimes at night can disrupt sleep.
- Set and even share a wind-down ritual. Reading, light conversation, or a brief stretching routine repeated nightly reinforces sleep cues for a child over time.
- Set a consistent sleep and wake schedule, including weekends. Irregular schedules on weekends can disrupt the body’s internal clock for days afterward. It helps to know how much sleep is recommended for each member of your family and plan a schedule that can deliver.
- Create a device-free window at least 60 minutes before bed. Make the hour before bed a low-stimulation zone for everyone. Active screen use and content fuels active minds and can get in the way of sleep.
- Keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. The ideal sleep temperature for most people is between 65–68°F. Especially for kids, blackout curtains, white noise machines, and dim night lights are commonly used to help set up a room for optimal sleep.
Sleep Awareness Week 2026 is sponsored through unrestricted funding and support from Gold sponsors Avadel, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Purecare, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Tempur-Pedic. Silver sponsors include Asleep, Harmony Biosciences, Lilly, Neurovalens, NextSense, Ozlo, Resmed, Samsung Health, UBlockout, Variowell, Waymo, and Withings.
Collaborators include American Heart Association, Comfort Keepers, Higi, Mental Health America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Coalition for the Homeless, National Organization for Youth Safety, National PTA, and Rural Minds, who, among many other organizations and agencies, help to promote NSF’s sleep health messages.
For tips to support your children’s sleep, family sleep health resources, and to learn more about being your Best Slept Self®, visit www.theNSF.org.
About the National Sleep Foundation
There’s only one National Sleep Foundation (NSF). NSF is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. Founded in 1990, the NSF is committed to advancing excellence in sleep health theory, research and practice. In its 35 years, NSF has promoted sleep health through expert recommendations, consensus guidelines, tech standards, and easy-to-use tips and tools to improve sleep. For more information about NSF, visit www.theNSF.org │ SleepHealthJournal.org.
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SOURCE National Sleep Foundation
