It’s time to be your
Best Slept Self ®
March 8-14, 2026
Every year, the National Sleep Foundation takes this time to reemphasize the important connection between your sleep and your health and well-being. We’re here to help you become your Best Slept Self. Because deep, rejuvenating sleep is what we toss and turn about.
Advancing sleep health for all
Why do we do it?
The connection between sleep and health is real. It impacts every one of us. That’s why we conduct our Sleep in America® Poll and release our findings to anyone who wants to know pretty much anything about sleep. During Sleep Awareness Week, we share valuable information on how people have been sleeping the past year while offering research-based advice on the benefits of quality sleep and how it affects health and well-being.
What’s the National Sleep Foundation all about?
Short answer? Your sleep. We’ve been studying and reporting on it for over 35 years. It continues to be what springs us out of bed in the morning. Need a sleep aid? Consider us your go-to for daily habits and routines that lead to a healthier night’s sleep.
Be your Best Slept Self
See a renewed you after taking small steps each day and night that make a big difference in sleep health.
Discover NSF sleep resources
We break down our research results and translate all the scientific stuff into knowledge and advice you can apply to your daily sleep routine. You can start by reading some of our articles.
Our blog articles cover a wide range of topics that relate to sleep health.
A Look at Children’s Sleep Health
Each year, we survey Americans to find out the state of the nation’s sleep health. The 2026 Poll focused on the sleep health of American youth, specifically children ages 0 to 13. This focus reflects NSF’s growing emphasis on family sleep health, recognizing that young children are a central part of the family unit and that their sleep patterns can influence and be influenced by the sleep of parents, siblings, and caregivers. Understanding how children sleep provides important insight into the overall sleep health of families, helping illuminate how one family member’s sleep can affect the entire household.
A Focus on America’s
Youngest Sleepers
Understanding Children’s Sleep in the Context of Family Sleep Health
Children Aren’t Sleeping Enough
- Nearly half of U.S. children (44%) do not consistently get the
recommended amount of sleep for their age. Younger children are especially likely to fall short.
Parents Underestimate Children’s Sleep Needs
- The amount of sleep parents estimate their child needs falls short of National Sleep Foundation recommendations, often by more than an hour per day.
Children’s Sleep Affects the Whole Family
- Nearly everyone (95%) agrees that good sleep is essential to overall family functioning.
- Almost 9 in 10 (86%) report that good sleep improves their
child’s behavior and mood. - Nearly seven in ten parents say poor sleep negatively affects
their child’s mood and daytime functioning. - Four in five parents say their own sleep suffers when their
child sleeps poorly.
It’s Time to Prioritize Sleep
- Nearly half of parents rarely or never talk with their children
about the importance of sleep.
Parents, talk to your kids about the importance of sleep. Use healthy sleep behaviors to be a
Best Slept® Family.
Check out the National Sleep Foundation’s full Sleep in America® Poll Report
Sleep Awareness Week® Participation Toolkit
Help everyone be their Best Slept Self.® Share sleep health resources with friends, family, and colleagues. Complete the form to get the Sleep Awareness Week® Participation Toolkit. We’ll reach out after the campaign to see how you used the materials in your outreach.