Co-sleeping and children's sleep in China

Abstract

Sleeping in the same bed as their parents is very common in young Chinese children, being present in up to 79% of pre-school children and 53% of school-aged children. It is socially acceptable to Chinese parents as a natural part of the child-rearing process. Chinese family values and a cultural value system emphasizing family bonds and interpersonal interdependence seem to act as positive reinforcing factors for this practice of co-sleeping. Studies of Chinese children's sleep have focused primarily on some key aspects of sleep behaviors, for example, sleep duration and sleep need, children's use of sleep aids, and sleep related-diseases, with few studies on the effects of co-sleeping. There are both advantages and disadvantages of co-sleeping. This review presents the cultural aspects of co-sleeping in China, and provides a basis for pediatricians' understanding of this practice in order to promote more attention to this familiar but controversial behavior.