Sleep problems were common among 10-12-year-old children, often underpinned by worry and rumination, highlighting the need for credible, accessible, and age-appropriate resources tailored to child and family contexts.
Nearly half of parents reported their child often had trouble falling asleep or regularly worried at bedtime.
Two in five children slept fewer than 9 hours per night, below national guidelines.
The most common barriers to sleep identified by parents were worry and rumination, difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, and screen use.
Parents described sleep challenges as having impacts on children's mood, concentration, school engagement, and family functioning.
While most parents were motivated to improve their child's sleep, they identified gaps in their knowledge and access to resources.
This research surveyed 250 Australian parents about the sleep habits and challenges of their children aged 10 to 12 years. The study found that sleep problems are very common in this age group: nearly half of children frequently had trouble falling asleep, and a similar proportion regularly worried at bedtime. More than two in five children were sleeping less than the nationally recommended 9 hours per night. The most frequently cited obstacles to good sleep were worry and rumination (reported by nearly two-thirds of parents), difficulty falling or staying asleep, and screen use before bed. Parents described the consequences of poor sleep as wide-ranging, affecting their children's mood, ability to concentrate, engagement at school, and the functioning of the whole family. Despite most parents wanting to help improve their child's sleep, many felt they lacked the knowledge and tools to do so effectively. They expressed a need for reliable, easy-to-access information on sleep hygiene, managing anxiety and rumination, limiting screen time, and building consistent bedtime routines. This research suggests that the 10-12 age group is a critical window where sleep problems, particularly those linked to anxiety and worry, are already well-established. It highlights a significant gap between parental desire to help and the availability of practical, age-appropriate resources. The findings point to the importance of developing trustworthy, family-centred sleep support tools that are specifically designed for this developmental stage and ideally co-created with families themselves.
Subotic-Kerry M, Corkish B, Maston K, Li S, Werner-Seidler A. (2026). Child sleep: A cross-sectional survey assessing parent perspectives and support needs.. Sleep medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2025.108742