ORLANDO, Fla. – Most experts recommend getting at least seven hours of sleep a night.
But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis.
Could that lack of rest impact the way you parent your kids?
Researchers looked at 234 mothers who were asked to wear special devices called actigraphs to bed each night for one week. The actigraphs detected movement and sleep disruptions. Then adolescent children completed a survey about their mom’s parenting skills.
Results showed moms who didn’t get enough sleep were more likely to engage in permissive parenting.
This type of parenting style is associated with adolescents who act out.
To improve your sleep habits: follow a routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
Also, avoid caffeine and exposure to blue light from screens late in the day.
Remember: a good night’s sleep may benefit you and your kids.
Findings also suggested that low-income mothers were most likely to experience poorer quality sleep. For these mothers, in particular, there was a strong relationship between sleep quality and permissive parenting.