Strong family relationships and high parental engagement are among the aspects of social connectedness that are associated with sufficient sleep duration in pre-teen children, according to a study to presented at Sleep 2025.

Results show that eating dinner with family and participating in neighborhood activities were predictive of a longer sleep duration, while family conflict, household distancing, and longer time spent on technology-mediated connections were predictive of shorter sleep.

When analyzed in clusters of social connectedness, the highest rates of sufficient sleep were in clusters characterized by high parental engagement (50.85%), such as eating together (47.57%) and discussing plans for the following day (47.52%). In contrast, the lowest rates of sufficient sleep were in clusters characterized by high technology-mediated relationships (40.39%) or by poor family/friend relationships and little parental engagement (42.07%). Results were adjusted for potential confounders including sex, age, race, and household income.


RT’s Three Key Takeaways:

  1. Family Engagement Promotes Better Sleep: Pre-teens with strong family connections—such as eating dinner together and discussing plans for the next day—had significantly higher rates of sufficient sleep. The highest sleep duration was seen in children from households with high parental engagement (50.85%).
  2. Technology and Family Conflict Reduce Sleep: Technology-mediated relationships and family conflict were linked to shorter sleep durations. Children in these environments showed the lowest rates of adequate sleep, with technology-dominant social clusters showing just 40.39% sufficient sleep.
  3. Social Connectedness is a Modifiable Factor: The findings suggest that enhancing real-world social bonds—particularly within the family—could be a practical intervention to improve children’s sleep health, especially during critical developmental years.


“It was surprising to find that multiple social connectedness variables were predictors of sufficient sleep duration,” said lead author Marie Gombert-Labedens, who has a doctorate in circadian rhythms and childhood obesity and is a postdoctoral researcher at SRI International in Menlo Park, California.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep is essential to health. The AASM recommends that children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9 to 12 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health.

The researchers analyzed data from 4,996 children between the ages of 8.9 and 11 years; 48% were female, and 62.5% were white. Participants completed at least two surveys in May and August 2020. Sleep duration was collected from caregiver reports.

According to Gombert-Labedens, the study suggests that social connectedness is a potential target for interventions to improve sleep in children.

“These results support the importance of social networks in sleep health and may inform future campaigns, ultimately helping to improve the health and well-being of children,” she said.