Perspective: Restoring rest-the critical role of sleep in foster care well-being
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.11806
Description
In 2023, approximately 400,000 children were in foster care in the United States, a population disproportionately affected by trauma, instability, and systemic inequities.1 These children face chronic disruptions in sleep—an essential physiological process that underpins physical development, learning, emotional regulation, and overall health.2–4 Adverse childhood experiences, including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, are prevalent in this group and contribute to significant sleep disturbances through pathways of hyperarousal, stress dysregulation, and recurrent nightmares.3,4 Understanding the interplay among foster care, social determinants of health (SDOH), and sleep health disparities highlights opportunities for targeted interventions to improve outcomes.
Publication Date
10-2025
Publisher
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
Keywords
Pediatrics, Child Welfare, Dallas, Integrated Care, Trauma-Informed
Disciplines
Clinical and Medical Social Work | Pediatrics | Primary Care | Sleep Medicine | Social Work | Trauma
Recommended Citation
McLeigh, Jill; Shaik, Likhita; and Wani, Ann, "Perspective: Restoring rest-the critical role of sleep in foster care well-being" (2025). Research. 20.
https://scholarlycollection.childrens.com/rjfcce-pub/20
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
