Couchsurfing and sleep health: a qualitative study among young Australians experiencing homelessness

Despite growing recognition of couchsurfing as a hidden form of youth homelessness, little empirical research has examined its impact on sleep health. Here, we aim to fill that gap and explore the impact of couchsurfing on young people and their sleep health. This study presents a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 33 young adults, aged 14–25, who were couchsurfing in Queensland, Australia. Although sleep was not the primary focus of the original study, participants raised sleep-related concerns organically during interviews. Themes were inductively coded. Participants reported that couchsurfing is associated with significant sleep disruptions, largely attributable to participants’ limited control over their sleeping environments. Key themes influencing sleep included instability and conditions of the home environment, inconsistent access to sleeping spaces, substance use within host settings, and physical discomfort. Poor sleep is an underexamined consequence of couchsurfing. Future research and housing interventions should consider the consequences of such poor sleep – as well as ways to mitigate this – when working with young people experiencing homelessness. Our findings support the expansion of a ‘sleep first’ model of social service support.