Up all night? Sleep disruption in parents of young children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

Background: Despite the known challenges of parental adjustment to new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) in young children, little is known about parental sleep soon after diagnosis. Methods: Parents (n = 157) of young children (4.5 ± 1.6 years) with new-onset T1D (29 ± 15 days) self-reported their sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) at the baseline of a behavioral randomized control trial. We examined sleep patterns and relations with continuous glucose monitor (CGM) use. Results: Over two-thirds (68.8%) reported poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5, M = 8.3 ± 4.1). The mean reported sleep duration was 5.9 ± 1.4 h/night. PSQI scores did not significantly differ by CGM use. Conclusions: Sleep disruption is a pervasive self-reported problem among parents of young children emerging early after the T1D diagnosis. Healthcare providers should discuss parental sleep as part of diabetes care soon after diagnosis. Further interventions targeting parental sleep may be of benefit.