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Bedtime Consistency in Middle Childhood: Associations With School Engagement and Family Context in a National US

Adam P Knowlden1, Sarah M Flora1

  • 1The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.

The Journal of School Health
|May 16, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Children’s bedtime consistency is linked to their self-regulation and school engagement. Improving behavioral regulation and family-school coordination can promote consistent sleep routines for better child well-being.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Sleep Science
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Familial context significantly impacts children's sleep patterns.
  • Limited population-level data exists on the connection between school engagement, self-regulation, and bedtime consistency.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between bedtime consistency and various child, family, and school factors.
  • To identify key predictors of inconsistent bedtimes in school-aged children.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the 2022-2024 National Survey of Children's Health (N=46,149).
  • Employed sequential logistic regression models to analyze associations between bedtime consistency and multiple variables.
  • Included factors such as school engagement, self-regulation, family context, adverse childhood experiences, and demographics for children aged 6-11 years.

Main Results:

  • Lower behavioral self-regulation, task persistence, and homework completion were significantly associated with higher odds of bedtime inconsistency.
  • Factors like perceived school unsafety, family structure, adverse childhood experiences, and lack of caregiver support also correlated with inconsistent bedtimes.
  • Low self-regulation (aOR=1.41), task persistence (aOR=1.69), and homework completion (aOR=1.72) remained significant predictors in the fully adjusted model.

Conclusions:

  • Bedtime inconsistency in children is influenced by both school-based behavioral factors and the broader family environment.
  • Interventions supporting behavioral regulation and coordinated family-school strategies are recommended to enhance sleep regularity.
Abstract

Keywords:
bedtime consistencymiddle childhoodschool engagementself‐regulationsleep health

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