Parents' Nonstandard Work and Children’s Sleep: The Mediating Role of Bedtime Routines

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined if caregivers' long work hours or shift work are related to children's sleep duration through the disruption of bedtime routines. METHOD: Work hours and schedules, bedtime routines and sleep (actigraph assessments) were examined in a sample of 250 caregivers and their preschool children. RESULTS: Results revealed that consistent bedtime routines mediated the relationship between caregiver's work and children's sleep, such that longer hours and shift work predicted fewer routines that, in turn, predicted less child sleep. CONCLUSION: These results point to the crucial role of bedtime routines as a promising point of intervention for working parents. While caregivers may not be able to change their work hours or schedules, they can create more stable and consistent bedtime routines to mitigate the negative effects of their work on children's sleep.