From Bedsharing to Blue Light: Tracing Trends in Family Sleep Research

This study presents the first known scientometric review of literature on family sleep practices tracing the fields conceptual evolution from 1970 to 2025 from 532 publications. Document co-citation analysis (DCA) was conducted via CiteSpace and several thematic clusters were identified that included themes such as infant bedsharing, cross-cultural sleep practices, parental sleep literacy, screen exposure and genetic influences. Despite recent advancements, analysis revealed dominance of high-income western contexts and limited global representation and insufficient inclusion of objective measures such actigraphy in sleep. Results highlighted the need for holistic, family-level research approaches that include fathers and senior caregivers. The study concludes by advocating for culturally adaptable sleep guidelines and highlights the role of sleep literacy as a modifiable determinant of public health. To conclude, this review offers a foundational knowledge map and development trends in family sleep research, intended to inform future interdisciplinary studies that consider some key points like cultural differences, family structures, and everyday practices.