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From the youngest newborn to the wisest grandparent, it’s a bit of a no-brainer to say that getting good sleep is important for all of us. However, when it comes to our childhood and teenage years, getting the right amount of regular and high-quality sleep is essential for helping our developing minds and bodies grow.
So, it’s really no surprise that the increasing prevalence of social media and smartphone usage amongst young people has parents more than a little concerned about how this increased screentime could be affecting their children’s sleep habits.
In fact, recent data suggests that up to 60% of parents are concerned about their child’s screentime usage, finding it difficult to monitor and limit the use of these electronic devices in the run-up to bedtime – many parents aren’t even sure how many hours of sleep their children are getting each night!
But just how much of an impact are phones and social media having on the sleep habits of our children? How does the quality of their sleep vary between holiday and term time? And is there more that parents can be doing to help their kids sleep better?
To find out, we surveyed 1,000 parents in the UK and in the US about their children’s sleep habits, including what they thought the biggest sleep disrupters were, and how summer affects their regular sleep schedule.
Not only that, but our resident sleep experts took the time to share their own insights into the matter, as well as pointers for what to look for in a child’s mattress, so they can get the best rest possible no matter the time of year!
How much sleep do children need?
According to both the NHS and the American Academy of Sleep, children and teenagers need over 8 hours of sleep per night – with the NHS specifically highlighting 9-12 hours per night for children aged 6-12, and 8-10 hours for teenagers.
However, according to the data from our study, a large percentage of children in both countries simply aren’t meeting this minimum requirement.
In the UK, for example, children sleep an average of 8.2 hours per night during termtime and 9.4 hours over summer, putting them right on the line for what health experts advise – and even here, at least 28% of UK children in our survey were noted as getting less than 8 hours sleep during termtime, alongside 19% getting below the average during summer.
And in the US, the stats are even more shocking, with the average child getting just 7.7 hours of sleep during termtime (with a full 34% getting less than 8 hours overall), and only 8.2 hours while off in the summer!
Simply put, these statistics highlight a potentially growing issue within modern children’s sleeping habits. Because, as we’re about to see, even the increased number of bedtime hours over the summer months does not necessarily translate to children getting better sleep overall.
Why are children getting less sleep in general?
Despite our survey showing that children in both the US and UK technically get more hours of sleep over summer, such sleep appears to be inconsistent and fragmented to say the least.
On a surface level, 83% and 85% of UK and US parents say they have difficulty getting their children to bed on time during summer, with 52% of children in both countries arguing to stay up later than usual, while 34% and 41% respectively don’t want to miss any potential summer fun.
Now, these reasons in and of themselves are nothing new. Almost all of us had the same arguments with our parents when growing up, and parents of older children know the difficulty of getting teenagers to go to bed early.
However, where the real issue lies is in how children are spending their time before bed, with many using these additional hours to stay online late, rather than heading outside or socialising with their friends in person.
Indeed, there seems to be a genuine worry from parents around the quality of their children’s sleep during the holiday, with as many as 82% of UK parents and 87% of US parents surveyed flagging this as a major concern.
In the UK specifically, 53% of parents said they were worried about their child’s screentime usage before bed, with another 50% worrying about their child staying up too late, 31% about the loss of a consistent bedtime routine, and 29% even being concerned that their child might be sleeping too much.
And such concerns seem to be mirrored by US parents as well, with 56% also flagging their child staying up too late as a major worry, alongside 47% agreeing that their children’s screentime usage was too high, 36% that their child was losing their usual sleep routine, and a matching 29% also being worried that their child was sleeping in too much.
In other words, summertime might see children getting more sleep statistically, but there is no guarantee that this sleep is more restful, consistent, and beneficial than the amount they’re getting during termtime.
What are the biggest factors impacting children’s sleep?
So, given that children are getting less sleep in general and looking to stay up later over summer, we wanted to know what the biggest causes behind these trends were. And according to our survey, there are a whole range of different disruptions at play.
For example, in the UK, the biggest factors impacting children’s sleep were as follows:
- Excessive screen use (47%).
- Disruptive noises and light in their sleeping environment (32%).
- An inconsistent bedtime routine (29%).
- Social media or chat messages (28%).
- Late-night snacks (24%).
- Bedtime anxieties or worries about school (20%).
- Bedtime anxieties or worries about friends (16%).
Meanwhile, in the US, parents noted the following as being the biggest issues for their kids:
- Excessive screen use (42%).
- Social media or chat messages (31%).
- An inconsistent bedtime routine (29%)
- Late-night snacks (25%).
- Bedtime anxieties or worries about school (23%).
- Disruptive noises and light in their sleeping environment (20%).
- Bedtime anxieties or worries about friends (19%).
- Sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress (9%).
Naturally, some of these factors, such as light and noise, are unavoidable in the summer months. However, it’s also clear that screentime and social media are having a much greater impact on children’s sleep in general.
According to further data from our study, a shocking 92% of UK children and 96% of US children are looking at a screen before they go to bed, which may be perpetuating problems such as inconsistent bedtime routines and stirring anxieties around friends and school right before sleep, leading to difficulties falling asleep and later nights as a result.
And parents are clearly aware of this, with 73% of UK parents and 80% of US parents setting up some form of screentime limit for such devices – though 41% and 35% say they struggle to enforce this regularly.
Are we seeing a rise in child sleep anxiety symptoms?
Staying on the topic of screentime use and social media addiction, we wanted to look deeper into these disruptions to uncover just why they might be contributing to lower sleep hours in children – besides their stimulating properties.
And, at least according to our survey, it appears that 40% of 14–16-year-olds in the UK and US are actually being kept awake at night over concerns around social media and online messaging even once their phones are off – something that simply wouldn’t have been a concern in years gone by.
However, what’s far more concerning is that 15% of 4–7-year-olds in the UK, and 24% of 4–7-year-olds in the US, are suffering from social media sleep disruption as well, despite not technically being old enough to access such platforms!
In other words, it seems that greater access to the online world may be fostering a rise in child sleep anxiety symptoms.
Common child sleep anxiety symptoms
Although the results of our study suggest much about the potential rise in child sleep anxiety, it’s important to clarify that these are not scientifically backed results and should therefore not be taken at face value.
However, with that being said, if you’re at all concerned that your child may be suffering from sleep anxiety, you may want to keep an eye out for a combination of the following symptoms:
- Sleep separation anxiety.
- An inability to settle in bed.
- Lying awake well after bedtime.
- Regular nightmares or night terrors.
- Sleepwalking.
- Nauseous sensation in the hours before bedtime.
- General anxiety around sleep.
And, of course, if your child reports trouble sleeping, you should discuss the problem with them and reach out to a medical professional should the issue persist.
Does reducing screen time help kids sleep?
Considering that screentime usage, and by proxy, social media activity, are being continually flagged as major causes for child sleep disruption in the UK and US, this begs the question – does reducing screentime help kids sleep?
Well, as it turns out (and perhaps more obviously to us adults), the answer is an emphatic yes. In the UK, for example, parents who reduced their child’s screentime reported the following positive benefits around their child’s sleep quality:
- Fell asleep more easily (48%).
- More well-rested in the morning (44%).
- Improved school performance (35%).
- Woke up less during the night (28%).
- Seemed less anxious at bedtime (21%).
- Fewer nightmares or night terrors (16%).
And US parents also saw similar benefits, too:
- Fell asleep more easily (42%)
- More well-rested in the morning (41%)
- Improved school performance (35%)
- Seemed less anxious at bedtime (27%)
- Woke up less during the night (26%)
- Fewer nightmares or night terrors (18%)
Clearly, cutting back screentime is beneficial in a number of ways. And while not all the parents we surveyed experienced a universal improvement, it’s likely that the longer such a reduction is put in place, the better a child’s sleep may become.
How much do parents worry about their child’s sleep in general?
If it wasn’t clear by now, parents in both the US and UK are obviously worried about how well their children are sleeping. Further data from our survey revealed that 34% of parents in the UK have sought professional advice around helping their child sleep better, alongside almost half of US parents (48%).
In fact, UK parents appear so concerned that 49% have taken their children to a sleep doctor in an attempt to diagnose the issues behind their child’s poor sleep!
Perhaps more interestingly, though, it seems that some children are clocking on to the power of sleep and its many benefits, with many looking to try out sleep wellness trends from social media.
Bizarrely, however, it appears to be 8–to 10-year-olds who are most influenced to try these trends, with 29% of UK children and 35% of US children in this age bracket recently trying one or more sleep wellness trends they found online.
Tips for how to improve your kid’s sleep
Having fully assessed our survey, you could certainly suggest that there’s a growing trend between increasing child screentime and poor sleep quality. So, if you’re at all worried about how well your child is sleeping, or you want to help allay any sleep anxiety symptoms they might be experiencing, then our sleep experts recommend the following:
- Talk to them – at the end of the day, the best way to allay any sleep anxiety or screentime issues your child might be experiencing is to talk to them. Ask them what’s worrying them or why they feel like they need to be online so late, and then let them talk without interruption. By letting them speak, you’ll create a safe space for them to express themselves and solve whatever worries they might be having.
- Don’t give in to requests – for younger children, in particular, those who might be experiencing sleep separation anxiety, it’s very important that you don’t give in to requests to sleep in your bed or stay with them until they fall asleep. Instead, slowly ease their separation anxiety by being there initially as they settle down (but leaving before they’re fully asleep) and ushering them back to bed calmly and quietly should they wake in the night.
- Create a flexible routine – as important as it is to create a consistent sleep routine for your child, having a rigid structure in place is likely going to cause arguments as they get older. So, when summer rolls around, keep the structure of the routine the same but try to be more flexible on sleep times so they can make the most of the good weather and aren’t going to sleep while it’s still light outside.
- Minimise screentime – lastly, and perhaps most obviously based on our survey results, minimising screentime is one of the best ways to improve your child’s sleep quality. Putting a hard cap on how late younger children can view screens can help them settle before bed, as can keeping such devices out of reach once this time is reached. As for teenagers, try to be a little more flexible on when this time is, increasing it as they get older, and allowing older teens to keep their phone in their room as a show of trust. This will help minimise arguments around screen usage and give a sense of personal responsibility around their sleep.
On top of all these, buying a good mattress and bed for your child and investing in breathable bedding is absolutely essential for creating a comfortable sleeping environment – and it seems parents agree.
As many as 67% of UK adults and 64% of US adults note mattress comfort as being the most important factor when choosing a kid’s mattress, with 49% and 46% of UK parents also focused on mattress longevity and price, while 44% and 42% of US parents always consider price and mattress size before making a purchase.
Commenting on these stats and our wider study, our resident mattress expert and CEO, Martin Seeley, had this to say:
“As adults, we all know the importance of getting enough sleep. But as our study shows, the same importance and consideration absolutely needs to be given to our children’s sleep habits as well.
“Parenting is hard work at the best of times, and helping your child get a good night’s rest will go a long way towards minimising family conflict, helping them perform better at school, and reducing any anxieties they might be experiencing as they enter those awkward teen years.
“And, naturally, reducing screentime is an important part of this, but so too is buying the right child’s mattress and bed. For children, especially, you should avoid softer mattresses, as they need more support while they grow, and you might want to consider a mattress protector to help protect against those inevitable spills and stains.
“As for teenagers, look to involve them in the mattress buying process. That way, they can choose a mattress that meets their personal sleeping preferences, while giving them insights into what to consider when they eventually buy their own mattress.
“Finally, choosing breathable bedding and creating a quiet, dark, and comfortable sleeping space will help your child fall asleep that much faster in summer, especially when it’s warm and the sun sets later in the evening.”
Get better sleep with MattressNextDay
So, there you have it, all the essential insights from our 2025 Child Sleep Report. Do you agree with our findings? Are you considering buying your child a new mattress and bedding to help them get better rest in the future?
If so, then you should head over to the MattressNextDay kid mattress range today to see what we have on offer!
From traditional 4ft double mattresses that are perfect for teens to standard single memory foam mattresses that your younger children are sure to love, we have plenty of mattresses on sale.
Get in touch with our team today to learn more, and check out our sleep hub for similar articles to this one, including our top tips on how to get your kids to sleep over Christmas.
