Owlet Sleep Study Pulls Back The Covers On Sleep Deprivation For New Parents

If new parenthood has you burning the midnight oil night after night, you're not alone.

Recent research from Owlet, Inc., a Lehi, Utah-based company, pulls back the covers on a common problem among parents of newborn babies. An Owlet survey of over 1,000 parents found that 82 percent of new parents cope with the demands of new parenthood on five hours or less of sleep each night. The Sleep Foundation recommends up to 9 hours for most adults.

Based on a company press release, one-third of survey respondents say their baby wakes up an average of 3 to 4 times per night. The result? Many sleepless nights pacing the nursery and watching Star Trek.  

“Becoming a parent is one of the biggest changes we go through in our lives, and it’s clear that parents today are tired and operating on very little sleep,” said Owlet CEO and Co-Founder Kurt Workman. “On top of that, parents are given very few resources, and that’s why we believe it’s crucial to empower parents with the tools and technology to better understand their child’s sleep and provide expert-led information on what to do to get the whole family sleeping better.”

Since 2012, Workman and the Owlet team of parents have worked to provide support and peace of mind throughout the parenting journey with a digital sleep monitoring system that provides real-time data. By using a smartphone, parents can monitor a child’s heart rate, room temperature, noise levels, the number of child wakings, and other sleep indicators that impact sleep quality and overall health.  

“Our entire team truly believes that every family deserves the peace of mind that comes from having insights into how their little one is doing,” Workman said in a recent interview. “And we are committed to doing that. with our technology and connected nursery ecosystem, and every day, we make important steps toward that.”

Owlet research and award-winning technology offer a soothing reminder that your new baby doesn’t mean to make us want to run down the street yelling, “I can’t feel my face when I’m with you.” There’s comfort in collective parenting hardships. And while new parents need to understand the normalcy of this new, chaotic world, Owlet also cares about the ongoing health of growing babies, even those whose cries can trigger Alexa to ask what she can do to help. “Would you like to reorder a case of Red Bull?”

Sleep disorders are common among children. Studies show around 50 percent of children experience sleep disorders at some stage, including sleepwalking, night terrors, bedwetting, snoring, and sleep apnea. The Owlet sleep monitoring system is a gateway to an important conversation that new parents may need to have with their pediatrician and dentist. Yes, your dentist.

Research shows around 1 to 5 percent of young people have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, where tissues in the throat block the passage of air during sleep. Your child’s dentist is often the first to notice signs of a problem, such as a small jaw or an overbite, daytime sleepiness and other physical traits frequently associated with OSA. Armed with metrics from an Owlet device and noted symptoms from your dentist, parents can talk with their pediatrician to determine if those sleepless nights result from allergies or bedding or if it’s something more serious such as OSA.

Sleep health for new parents begins by identifying what’s normal (albeit exhausting) and what needs a closer look for long-term solutions.

“If you’re getting enough sleep, you’re going to be better able to fulfill your new responsibilities of taking care of the baby,” says Grace W. Pien, M.D., M.S.C.E, a sleep specialist at Johns Hopkins. “You’ll be more patient and more likely to feel good about parenting.”

For more information on Owlet's digital parenting platform, click here.