Sleep likely to be overlooked in back-to-school rush, survey finds

The upcoming back-to-school season will likely put a serious dent in the sleep of many American families. Healthy sleep takes a back seat to the everyday demands of work, school and family, a new survey has found.

About 1 in 3 American adults (32%) say work and school schedules take priority over sleep, according to results from an American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) survey.

Likewise, more than 2 in 5 (42%) say family or household responsibilities are more important than getting enough sleep, the survey found.

This means that unless families reset their routines, sleep will suffer with the onset of early morning drop-offs, after-school activities and late-night homework, experts said.

“Setting a consistent bedtime routine is very important, especially for children, who need more sleep for overall health and wellness,” Dr. Shalini Paruthi, a sleep medicine physician and spokesperson for the AASM, said in a news release.

“Making an intentional shift from summertime habits to more regimented school-year habits can be difficult, which is why the AASM encourages starting the transition as soon as possible.”

Other activities that many Americans value more highly than sleep include:

• Screen time with their phone (26%)
• Binge-watching shows or movies (23%)
• Social activities or events (23%)
• Their exercise routine (20%)

Adults should get at least seven hours of sleep each night, the AASM says. Kids 6 to 12 need nine to 12 hours of sleep, and teens 13 to 18 need eight to 10 hours of sleep.

The AASM urges families hoping to improve mental and physical health through sleep to:

• Set bedtimes for adults as well as children.
• Ask for help if household chores are cutting into sleep.
• Set aside 30 minutes to an hour before bed to wind down, even on busy nights.
• Pack lunches, lay out clothes and organize backpacks the night before to cut down on the morning rush.

If a person is still struggling to get healthy sleep, they should see their doctor, the AASM says. Effective treatments and strategies are available.

The online survey, conducted June 5–13, 2025, included 2,007 adults across the United States. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

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