How do night-time awakenings, assistive technologies, and help-seeking behaviors impact the sleep of Australian carers? A cross-sectional study

Informal carers may experience poor sleep outcomes due to the demands of their role. This study explored the association between the number of night-time awakenings, assistive technology use, and help-seeking behaviors on the sleep quality of adult carers. An online quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was utilised. Participants (n = 152) included Australian carers aged 18 to 64 years who obtained inadequate sleep hours (< 7 h per night). Carers who reported more than two awakenings per night (48.5%) had poorer sleep quality, as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, when compared to carers who reported no awakenings (η² = 0.06). The use of assistive technology was not associated with improved sleep quality (Cohen’s d = − 0.04). Carers who reported help-seeking for sleep problems also reported poorer sleep quality compared to carers who had not sought help (Cohen’s d = 0.67). These findings indicate that despite the availability of both assistive technologies and various help-seeking sources (e.g., general practitioners, psychologists), carers still experience poor sleep. With an aim to reduce carer burden, future research should investigate ways to decrease night-time awakenings for carers, examine the effect of care-recipient condition on the relationship between assistive technology use and carer sleep quality, and employ a longitudinal study design to evaluate the efficacy of help-seeking strategies for carer sleep.