Parents' Sleep 2025: Tired, but Hopeful

Many parents are familiar with the problem: Night falls, but the child just can’t fall asleep. It’s precisely these situations that make restful nights the exception and, over time, lead to a noticeable sleep deficit. To better understand why this happens and what factors play a role, it’s worth taking a closer look at the topic of “My Child Won’t Sleep.”

As soon as children arrive, sleep changes fundamentally. Rest, which used to be a given, suddenly becomes a challenge, and interrupted nights become part of everyday life. But just how severe is the sleep deficit in families? Are there differences between mothers and fathers? And when does the situation improve again?

Our major 2025 Family Sleep Study, featuring 1,003 German parents, provides fascinating insights: While more than half of parents do indeed sleep less than they did before having children, there is also a light at the end of the tunnel. From nighttime disruptions to the impact on the couple’s relationship to the often-neglected sleep environment, we show how Germany’s families really sleep.

More than half of all parents sleep less than they did before having children

Sleep deprivation is a common topic among parents, and the numbers speak for themselves: 69% of parents of babies and toddlers (0–2 years) sleep about 1–3 hours less per day! A night of 8 hours of sleep can quickly turn into just 5 hours due to nighttime interruptions, which is a major strain for many in the long run.

Among parents of teenagers (ages 11–18), however, 58% have regained their usual sleep rhythm. The good news is that 34% of parents of children aged 3–10 have also managed to reestablish a sufficient sleep routine. Overall, 53% of all parents surveyed report sleeping less today than they did before having children.

The consequences of sleep deprivation rarely go unnoticed. Overall, a clear majority of 76% of all parents report feeling the negative effects of sleep deprivation. The most serious consequences cited are a lack of energy (29%), increased irritability and diminished patience (21%), and a lack of energy for personal hobbies or friendships.

Nighttime Disruptions: One-Third Are Woken Up Regularly

Nighttime disruptions are a particularly stressful factor for parents. Overall, 31% of all parents surveyed report that they are regularly woken up by their children, whether due to breastfeeding, nightmares, or other nighttime needs. Another 18% report occasional disruptions, meaning that half of all parents are unable to sleep through the night undisturbed.

The contrast between the different stages of life is particularly stark here: Over 61% of all parents of babies (ages 0–2) do not have a single undisturbed night, while more than half of parents (59%) with children aged 11 and older are able to sleep almost completely undisturbed.

The Paradox of Sleep Aids: Many Parents Try Very Little

Given the number of restless nights, you’d think parents would be trying every possible strategy to improve their sleep. However, 20% of parents say they haven’t tried “anything specific yet” to improve their sleep. Otherwise, the most popular methods are consistent bedtime routines (29%) and investing in new pillows or mattresses (16%). Herbal remedies or teas (7%), digital aids such as sleep apps or white-noise devices (6%), and professional sleep counseling (1.6%) are not very popular.

Putting the Kids to Bed – Perception vs. Reality

At first glance, everything seems equal: At 33%, a fair split (50:50) is the most common answer among all parents when asked who is responsible for putting the children to bed. But a closer look at the gender differences reveals a different reality: While 42% of men consider the division of labor to be fair, only 26% of women feel the same way. At the same time, over a third of women report that they handle this task almost exclusively on their own. Among men, the figure is only 9%.

The gender gap persists across all age groups: For babies (0–2 years), 36.5% of women put their children to bed alone, compared to 13% of men. For children (ages 3–10), the figures are 36% versus 10%, and even for teenagers (ages 11–18), they are still 32% versus 9%. The difference in perception remains constant: Men are more likely than women to view these tasks as “fairly shared,” even though, according to the study, women are three times more likely to take sole responsibility for putting the kids to bed.

This clearly shows that what is initially perceived as equal care work turns out, upon closer inspection, to be a traditional division of roles.

Intimacy suffers, but only temporarily

A sensitive but important topic: the impact of children on a couple’s relationship. Overall, 24% of all parents honestly admit that “intimacy often falls by the wayside.” Interestingly, this is counterbalanced by an equally large group of parents who have no trouble maintaining this closeness. At the same time, 22% of all parents use the time for themselves once the children are safely asleep, and another 10% plan regular date nights.

It’s interesting to note that fathers suffer more from the loss of intimacy during their child’s infancy than mothers do: 51% of men complain about a lack of intimacy, compared to 45% of women. According to the survey, men are three times more likely to take steps to counteract this and rely on regular date nights (27% vs. 9%). However, these gender-specific differences fade over time: Among parents of teenagers, roughly equal proportions of both men and women no longer see intimacy as a problem.

Overall, the progression through life stages shows a marked improvement: While just under half (48%) of new parents complain about a lack of intimacy, only 23% of parents of teenagers do—so the couple’s relationship becomes more relaxed as

Own Room or Family Bed?

At first glance, it’s surprising that 33% of parents report that their children slept in their own room for the most part within the first year of life. However, the majority of German parents take significantly more time: Nearly one in four children (24%) doesn’t sleep alone until they’re 1–2 years old, and another 17% not until they’re 3–4 years old.

You can learn more about the sleep needs of 5-year-olds in our articles on children’s sleep.

Particularly noteworthy: More than one in three children (38%) sleep in their parents’ bed or parents’ room at least until age 3—a sign that co-sleeping is far more common in Germany than is often assumed. In fact, 6% of families even choose to sleep together in the family bed permanently.

The Sleep Environment: An Underestimated Factor in Family Life

In addition to nighttime interruptions and changes in sleep patterns, the sleep environment also plays a greater role than many parents realize. Factors such as light, temperature, or the right bedding can determine just how restful those few hours of sleep actually are. It’s especially worth taking a closer look when it comes to children, as unsuitable solutions can quickly lead to restless sleep. If you want to optimize this, you should also consider the size of a child’s blanket to specifically improve comfort and sleep quality.

The Crux of the Pillow: OK, but Not Ideal

A contrast emerges when it comes to sleep accessories: 30% of all families are “generally satisfied” with their pillow situation. At the same time, however, more than one in four families notes that everyone needs a different level of firmness, that pillows flatten too quickly (12%), or that they don’t suit all sleeping positions. This shows that many families have settled for suboptimal solutions without realizing the full potential for better sleep. Consequently, nearly one in ten parents often wakes up with neck tension.

What did we do?

For our 2025 Family Sleep Study, we conducted a representative online survey in September 2025 with 1,003 parents in Germany in collaboration with Norstat. The survey included 9 main questions with various response options on topics such as sleep habits, sleep deprivation, division of responsibilities, intimacy, sleep aids used, and sleep equipment.

The 1,003 parents surveyed were divided into three life stages based on their children’s ages: parents of infants (0–2 years), parents of school-age children (3–10 years), and parents of teenagers (11–18 years). This breakdown makes it possible to track changes in parents’ sleep patterns as their children grow older. The total sample is representative of all German parents. The age groups reveal trends within the various family phases.