Recently, a study suggested that parents manage to snag more than 8 hours of sleep a night, and honestly, that’s hard to believe. Any parent, whether a mom or dad, who reads this study is likely to chuckle, then sigh, and then chuckle again.
This research, conducted by a mattress company (which raises eyebrows right away—serious studies typically appear in academic journals or at conferences), claims that sleep duration varies among moms and dads based on factors such as the number of children, their ages, income, and job status. However, the general conclusion is that parents, including those juggling multiple jobs or caring for several kids, are supposedly getting over 8 hours of sleep nightly, with some even enjoying 9 or 10 hours. Seriously, on what planet is this the norm?
Upon diving into the details of the study, we found that it relies on data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), which is indeed a comprehensive look at how individuals allocate their time. However, the study’s focus on “sleeping activities” is pretty vague. They include everything from falling asleep to dozing off, as well as sleepless nights spent tossing and turning.
Let’s break this down: this definition encompasses experiences like getting up to feed your baby, nursing while half-asleep, sharing a bed with a toddler who kicks, worrying about finances, or even zoning out while trying to catch a few minutes of rest during a marathon of PJ Masks. So, if you tally up the time spent in bed, regardless of actual sleep quality or the myriad interruptions, it might add up to nine hours, but that hardly reflects true, restorative sleep.
For a more accurate picture of parental sleep patterns, we should turn to studies conducted by real researchers and published in credible journals. These studies consistently find that moms and dads are not getting the recommended amount of sleep and are often severely sleep-deprived. For instance, one study highlighted in Medical News Today revealed that parents lose about six months of sleep during their child’s first two years, with 60 percent not achieving more than 3.25 hours of quality sleep each night. Now that’s more like it.
Another study published in the peer-reviewed journal Sleep indicated that parental sleep is significantly disrupted during the first six years of a child’s life, with average sleep hovering around six to seven hours, depending on various factors. Quality of sleep also matters; there’s a big difference between sleeping soundly in a dark room versus trying to catch some sleep while managing a fussy baby or a toddler demanding attention.
Don’t let this misleading study make you doubt your experiences of exhaustion or question if you’re the only one feeling drained as you navigate parenting and work. It’s simply not accurate. If you have children, chances are you’re not getting enough quality rest, and it’s important to recognize this issue. Sleep deprivation can impact your mental health, your parenting, and your overall well-being. Acknowledging it is the first step toward finding a solution.
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In summary, the claim that parents are well-rested is far from reality. Most parents are sleep-deprived, and acknowledging this is vital for their health and that of their children.