American mothers are facing a sleep crisis that goes far deeper than late bedtimes or early mornings. A new survey from BetterSleep of 1,000 U.S. mothers reveals the real enemy of maternal rest is not circumstance – it’s the relentless mental load that never fully switches off. 70 percent of moms cite anxiety, racing thoughts, and unfinished responsibilities as a top reason they are up at night, with the consequences reaching far beyond fatigue.
The Bedtime Report shows the impact of poor sleep on parenting is immediate and real. Three-quarters of mothers say sleep deprivation significantly changes how they show up for their children. Nearly half feel they are just going through the motions, and 46 percent become short-tempered, meaning emotional bandwidth, not energy, is the first thing that goes.
“Moms are operating in a state of sustained depletion that affects every part of their lives,” says Nathalie Walton, General Manager of BetterSleep. “This data makes visible what millions of mothers already know, but rarely say out loud. Rest is not a luxury. It’s what makes everything else possible – and right now, far too many moms are running on empty.”
The toll also extends into the workplace. More than half of employed mothers (53 percent) have called in sick, left work early, or feel like they’ve underperformed due to lack of sleep in the past year, with more than a third saying this happened more than once.
Additional key findings from The Bed Time Report include:
- 23 percent of mothers get at least seven hours of sleep on a typical weeknight, the minimum recommended for adult health.
- Single mothers face a disproportionate burden: 33 percent typically get five hours or fewer on weeknights, compared to 13 percent of partnered mothers.
- 67 percent of mothers woke up feeling like they only got enough sleep on three days or fewer in the past week.
- 73 percent of mothers feel their exhaustion is either unnoticed or understood but routinely deprioritized by those closest to them.
“What we’re seeing is not a personal failing, it’s a structural one,” says Dr. Shelby Harris, clinical sleep psychologist and Sleep Expert at BetterSleep. “Mothers have been conditioned to treat rest as something they have to earn, not something they deserve. Changing that starts with understanding the full scale of the problem.”
The BetterSleep Mom Sleep Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. mothers with children under age 18 in the home, between April 6 and April 14, 2026, using an email invitation and an online survey.
To read the full report, visit BetterSleep.com.
About BetterSleep
BetterSleep is a leading sleep wellness app dedicated to helping people around the world sleep better and feel better. Trusted by millions, BetterSleep combines science-backed content with cutting-edge technology to offer personalized tools, including customizable soundscapes, guided meditations, bedtime stories, and sleep routines designed to improve rest and overall well-being. Our mission is to make high-quality sleep more accessible, achievable, and personal for anyone facing sleep challenges, evolving the experience every day to support healthier, more restful nights.
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