1 in 5 parents have zero nights of undisturbed sleep a week

THEY SAY there is nothing more important than a good night’s sleep, but new research has revealed that British kids are keeping parents up at night due to bedtime dramas and poor sleep routines.

A survey of 1,000 UK parents of children under 16, commissioned by Happy Linen Company, found that more than 1 in 5 (21%) parents have zero nights of undisturbed sleep a week, meaning every night there are bedtime dramas for the nation’s parents to deal with.

The majority (58%) confess to only getting as little as three or less nights of undisturbed sleep on average during a typical week, increasing to a staggering 82% for those with a child under one.

When asked how their sleep routine is disturbed, 1 in 4 say their little one asks to climb into bed with them, nearly a quarter (24%) hear their child shouting for them from their bedroom, while 22% say they wake them up asking for a drink.

It seems not all parents get the luxury of staying in their own bed either, as more than 1 in 10 (12%) confess to having slept on their child’s bedroom floor in a desperate bid to coax sleep.

Looking at how else British parents try to encourage their kids to hit the pillow and sleep, 1 in 3 rely on books and bedtime stories, 31% let their child get into bed with them, while 22% leave a light on in their room in the hope this settles them down for the night.

When it comes to children finally settling into a good sleep routine and accepting an appropriate set bedtime, the research revealed that for an exhausted 20% of parents, this is still a work in progress – meaning for 1 in 5 parents achieving a good sleep routine has not been possible.

More than 1 in 10 (12%) say it took them a whopping three months or more to achieve an appropriate sleep routine – which is more than 90 nights of encouraging bedtimes and coaxing sleep for exhausted British parents.

The research further revealed that the optimum bedtime routine for 37% of UK parents is 15 – 30 minutes, as this ensures everyone in the household gets a good night’s sleep.

Lucy Shrimpton, The Sleep Nanny shares her insights on the new research revealed: “These survey results are not surprising to me and I feel passionately about helping parents to understand that it does not have to be this way – it is not healthy and there is a lack of awareness of the damage this does long term to both parent and child well-being.

“One night of undisturbed sleep in a week can be seriously damaging. We all move through cycles of sleep and have types of wakings in the night, it is natural. However, when someone or something interferes with your cycles, breaking your sleep rhythms, you don’t just lose precious hours of sleep but you miss out on stages of sleep that are crucial for our health.

“One simple and easy solution to help kids sleep better at night is to use weighted blankets as part of their bedtime routine. Not only do they ease stress and soothe anxiety before bed, but they are also guaranteed to provide comfort and improve sleep quality so both children and adults can enjoy a more peaceful night sleep.”

Top Tips to Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment for Parents Include:

Maintain a cool bedroom (approx. 18 degrees C is ideal).
No artificial light, so blackout blinds or curtains are a must for naps.
A calm and quiet room and a comfortable sleep space. Using a weighted blanket before bed is a great way to improve sleep quality, encourage relaxation and reduce anxiety.
A bedtime routine that incorporates the same steps in the same order every evening at the same time.
Adopting a suitable, loving support strategy to help children fall asleep happily and resettle in the night until they can do this without parental input.
Lucy Knight, Head of Product at Happy Linen Company comments: “It’s unfortunate, but not surprising, to see that more than 1 in 5 parents across the UK are being disturbed every night of the week due to their child struggling to nod off at nighttime, particularly as sleep is so important to us as it sets you up for the following day.

“There are various reasons why children may struggle to sleep or get up during the night, but there are numerous ways to make their bedroom a happy and relaxing space which they want to be in come bedtime. At Happy Linen Company, our anxiety weighted blankets are available in a range of fun and magical designs and are the perfect way to encourage relaxation and improve sleep quality, meaning children and parents alike can all have a better night’s sleep.

“Our mission is to make bedtime a dream for everyone by helping parents to create happy sleep spaces for their children and ensure it’s a fun, educational and relaxing part of the day.”