Mattress Firm Releases Second Annual "Sleep Uncovered" Report Revealing the Sleep Dynamics of Parents with Toddlers and Elementary-School-Aged Kids

The Study was Conducted in Partnership with SleepScore Labs and Sheds Light on the Numerous Factors Influencing Parents' Poor Sleep

HOUSTON, May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mattress Firm, the nation's largest mattress specialty retailer, today announced the results of their second annual sleep study called Sleep Uncovered: How Parents Sleep. In collaboration with SleepScore Labs™, the company behind a comprehensive suite of evidence-based sleep solutions, the report uncovers notable differences in sleep duration, sleep quality and mental health between parents and nonparents to spotlight the effects of parenting on sleep.

SleepScore Labs analyzed sleep data from 1,047 U.S. parents with a child between the ages of 1 and 12 living at home, as well as 368 nonparents over four weeks in early 2023. The results paint a complex picture of parents' sleep: Parents self-reported more minutes of sleep on average than nonparents, yet the majority of parents report they're sleeping worse now than before having kids. Furthermore, 61 percent of parents surveyed agreed that their sleep was better before having children. The good news is there are many ways to implement tools and strategies to address parents' sleep challenges.

"Our second annual Sleep Uncovered report offers valuable insights into parents' relationship with rest and provides expert advice for sleeping better as a parent," said John Eck, President and CEO, Mattress Firm. "We strongly believe that with science, technology and reliable health guidance, parents everywhere can get the high-quality sleep they need and deserve."

Many people would guess that parents have worse sleep than they did before having kids, but little research had been done on how children's age affects parents' sleep beyond the first year. The Sleep Uncovered study reveals that parents with older kids report the worst sleep compared to parents with younger kids.

Parents whose youngest child was between the ages of 6 to 12 reported 50 minutes less sleep per night than parents with a youngest child between the ages of 1 and 5. They also took 30 minutes longer to fall asleep at bedtime, spent 30 minutes more time awake at night, and took less frequent naps than parents with younger kids.

"The data reveals an in-depth view into parents physical, mental and emotional stressors in relation to sleep. We can then use that data to help parents create healthier habits," said Colin Lawlor, CEO, SleepScore Labs. "When parents feel their best, the benefits extend through families and entire communities."

Numerous factors worsened parents' sleep, including having two or more kids, being an older parent with young children, and being a single parent. According to the survey, parents with multiple kids were more likely to agree that their sleep was better before having children. In the survey, 68 percent of parents with three kids agreed with the statement, compared with 54 percent of parents with two kids and 39 percent of parents with one child.

Being an older parent with young children – defined as parents 45 or older with children under the age of five – also resulted in less sleep: That demographic reported 37 less minutes of sleep per night than other parents. About 70 percent said getting a good night's sleep was important, compared with 40 percent of other parents.

Single parents self-reported 52 minutes less sleep per night than coupled parents. They also reported taking 51 minutes to fall asleep, which is about 16 minutes longer than coupled parents. Single parents were less likely to nap and more likely to feel tired.

The full report is available for free download on MattressFirm.com. To learn more about Mattress Firm's commitment to improving lives through better sleep, visit MattressFirm.com or Sleep.com.

About Mattress Firm
Mattress Firm, the nation's largest omni-channel mattress specialty retailer, has been helping solve America's sleep problems for more than 90 years through our family of brands. Every one of our more than 6,500 passionate Sleep Experts® are driven by a common purpose: to change people's lives through better sleep. Whether browsing online or in one of our 2,300+ stores, our highly trained team provides personalized service and advice to help customers choose the right mattress and bedding products based on their unique needs. Our expertly curated selection of products include leading brands such as Beautyrest^®, Nectar^®, Sealy^®, Serta^®, Simmons^®, Sleepy's^® Stearns & Foster^®, Tempur-Pedic^®, Tuft & Needle^®, tulo^®, and Purple^®. Mattress Firm supports local and national charities through product and monetary donations and offers employee volunteering opportunities to serve their communities. No matter the time of night, Mattress Firm wants to help people get the sleep they deserve. Our Sleep.com website provides expert advice and helps people explore the health benefits of quality sleep, and the Sleep.com app provides free sleep tracking and personalized insights to improve sleep. 

Achieve your best sleep by visiting MattressFirm.com, and learn more on the Mattress Firm Newsroom and by following @MattressFirm on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

About SleepScore Labs
SleepScore Labs empowers partners to deliver sleep improvement around the world. We believe sleep is the 5th vital sign and that by using science, data, and leading-edge technology, we can bring better health and wellness to all. Founded in 2016 by a team of sleep experts from ResMed, Apple, Philips, and Harvard, SleepScore has collected and studied more than 160 million hours of sleep serving as the foundation for our suite of solutions and services.

The SleepScore flagship offerings include platform, program, and R&D services that empower partner companies and organizations to deliver better sleep to both their audiences and employees. Our Sleep Improvement Program (delivered through the SleepScore app) and platform (PaaS and SaaS) harnesses the best non-contact technology to track and measure sleep and proprietary AI/ML algorithms to engage and coach people in a personalized way on their sleep improvement journey. Our R&D services enable our partners to innovate and scientifically validate their solutions for sleep improvement. Leading companies like ResMed, Mattress Firm, IFF, L'Oreal, Myndstream, and others leverage our solutions and services to strengthen the health and wellness services they provide to their employees and customers.

SleepScore does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment through its service or its available functions.

Mattress Firm Public Relations 

Media Contacts:
G'Nai Blakemore
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Amanda Yodice
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SOURCE Mattress Firm