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Behavioral sleep interventions in children aged 0-5 years: A systematic review of content, delivery, and 24-hour

Rachel Pétrin1, Karolane Beauchamp1, Arianne Perreault1

  • 1Laboratoire du Sommeil, Département de Psychoéducation et de Psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada.

Sleep Medicine
|April 17, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This review synthesizes behavioral sleep interventions for children aged 0-5 years, finding most focus on nighttime sleep and parental guidance. More research is needed on daytime sleep and overall 24-hour sleep organization.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Science
  • Behavioral Health Interventions
  • Child Development

Background:

  • Behavioral sleep interventions are common for early childhood sleep issues.
  • Existing reviews often focus on specific populations or limited outcomes.
  • A comprehensive synthesis of intervention characteristics and understudied areas is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Identify behavioral sleep interventions for typically developing children (0-5 years).
  • Summarize core sleep components, delivery characteristics, and outcomes assessed.
  • Map intervention characteristics and identify research gaps.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of four databases (PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO) up to May 2025.
  • Included quantitative studies on typically developing children (<6 years) with child-sleep outcomes.
  • Risk of bias assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Main Results:

  • 59 studies included: 49 sleep-only, 10 multi-component interventions.
  • Interventions primarily targeted parents using behavioral-educational approaches.
  • Commonly addressed sleep independence, bedtime routines, and sleep hygiene; focused on nighttime outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Behavioral sleep interventions emphasize parental guidance, routines, and settling for young children.
  • Evidence predominantly covers nighttime sleep, with less focus on naps and 24-hour sleep patterns.
  • Identifies a need for broader research on daytime sleep and comprehensive sleep organization.
Abstract

Keywords:
Behavioral sleep interventionsInfantsPreschoolersSleep

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