Family sleep habits tend to run in the family. Any sleep disorders that parents or grandparents have may be witnessed in children. These could be witnessed events, or events separated by 30 years (such as parents who sleepwalked as children and see their children sleepwalking). 

Good sleep habits can be built as a family, but so do bad sleep habits and sleep disorders. A study found that 47% of families share good sleep and that 29% of families had shared poor sleep between mothers and teens. 

This is not the first time this has been found. In 2022, the sleep foundation found that those who lived in multi-person households saw that those who lived with someone who had sleep issues also had sleep issues. The opposite was true, those that did not have sleep issues, 73.2% lived in households who also did not. Continue reading to learn more about why this connection occurs, and what can be done to develop good sleep habits for everyone. 

Nature vs. Nurture

There is the constant debate between the influence of nature versus nurture on development and behavior. Nature is the natural development of someone that is not influenced by their environment. It is due to genetics. However, nurture is completely controlled by the environment, how parents interact with their children, television shows, anything that can externally influence children. 

Sleep issues are not entirely genetic, but can be. It is a mix of genes and characteristics of the environment, like parental practices. Sleep problems can be passed on from one to another, and can be bidirectional. If children aren't sleeping well, then parents most likely aren't, and vice versa. This could be due to a genetic predisposition, but could also be due to environmental issues. 

An example of this is short-sleepers and oversleepers. Short-sleepers sleep less than 6 hours a night while oversleepers get more than 9 hours a night. Of those who were short sleepers, 88.1% of respondents have a sleep disorder and about half of them say that another member in the household also has a sleep issue. Additionally, about half say that short sleep runs in their families.  

Of the oversleepers, 87.5% have experienced at least one issue, and almost 80% say that other household members have a sleep issue. 

Both groups have more than fifty percent of surveyors who say that their children actually have healthy sleep habits. Why could this be? That is where sleep habits come in handy. 

Family Sleep Hygiene

Strong family components and other socioeconomic factors can be important to the quality and quantity of sleep that people can get. Sleep does not happen in a vacuum, but requires a healthy approach that becomes a habit. 

If whole families want to improve their sleep, then parents must model healthy sleep habits for their children. About half the respondents say that they do while a quarter says they do not. Only 13% said that the entire house shares the same bedtime. This has been shown to be effective as about 75% of those that model good behavior have children with healthy sleep habits.  

Other aspects of one's environment that can affect sleep health include the safety of one's neighborhood. If a neighborhood is unsafe, or sleeping rooms are of poor quality, this can reduce the amount of comfort one feels while sleeping. 

Bedtimes are important. About 15% of parents allow their children to set their own bedtime. About half of this group's children fall asleep within one hour of the recommended time for their age group. Parents should set the child's bedtime because allowing them to do it will set the mindset that children can do as they please. 

Tips for Families to Get Good Sleep

One important way to improve sleep for the family is to stick to one's schedule. It's important to set a bedtime, and a wake schedule. Parents should try to adhere to this as much as possible. Children like schedules and they help get them into the routine. 

It's also important in these schedules to offer a wind down time. If you abruptly interrupt what a child is doing to send them to bed, then bedtime may become quite difficult. But, providing them with a warning can ease the transition. 

Devices are also another distractor to sleep. Setting up a family charging station where everyone can plug in their phones and get a good night's rest can also help improve sleep habits for the entire family. Technology should stay outside the bedroom for everyone as parents who use their technology often have teenages who do as well. 

Speaking of teenagers, they may require a bit more flexibility. They have a biological clock that is set later. Therefore, bedtime rules need to be adjusted to account for this, but also ensure that they are getting the right amount of sleep. 

If you are struggling with getting a good night's rest for your household, then please click the orange button to take a free online sleep test to talk with one of our sleep health professionals. 

Source: 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/many-family-members-share-sleep-habits