Ok, I fixed that problem by praising them every time they went to bed or napped.

I closed the game this morning for a couple of hours and when I turned it on they all had the energy bar about 70-75% full.

I am not sure it is linked with night or day, and if it is you can solve the problem even during the day.

Just my experience ...

Seems like everyone has different ways to remedy the sleep issues. I still believe the rate of recovery should be higher. Even when they are not working hard, they are tired or exhausted. Sleeping over and over works, for about 10 minutes, then they are tired again. Probably the most frustrating part of the game thus far.

Yes, this part of the game actually has me wondering if I should just set it on pause and not play anymore at all, because I'm getting so fed up with it.

I put them to bed, they wake up after a few minutes no matter what I do (praising them when going to bed, etc etc). They don't go to bed on their own at all, even if they're only just not tired anymore (you know in 30 seconds they will be again), they won't go to bed when I put them there, whether it's night or day.

If I put them in bed (at night) and leave the game I come back some hours later and they're even more tired (they get out of bed at some point, or maybe only after a few seconds). If I don't put them in bed at night and leave the game, they're not in bed when I get back either and even more tired.

Often they'll be more tired somehow after some time of me forcing them to sleep than they were before.

I could spend some hours forcing them to sleep, but that would only put their energy bar at just one notch better than 'tired' and after a few minutes they'd be tired or exhausted again. I just don't feel like playing 1.5 hours forcing them to sleep, then 5 minutes of them being able to do something else without having it say 'exhausted'.

Haven't seen an energy drink in the store yet, and all the chamomile drinks did for me is drain their energy and then they sleep for a few minutes and don't regain even half of what they lost.

I also have encountered this but I have brought it back up a little by alternating between naps, sleeping in bed, doing relaxing things like reading, enjoying nature,working on hobby, watching tv,playing video games etc, and have even noticed that making them shower seems to help the energy a little, (works in real life when somone is tired or exhausted , so I figured I would try it) not sure if it was just a combination of things or not but I actually admire the fact this is in the game, it totally parallel's real life !

I have them doing all kinds of things, play and work, naps, everything, but now they're always just exhausted. I put them in bed, they just get out, they don't nap on their own anymore, they don't go to bed, and now all they ever want to do is watch TV. Nothing happens to significantly increase their energy bar, no matter what I do.

norah, do you praise them every time you put them in bed? I have three families going (I know I'm addicted) and the first family I spent a lot of time praising them for going to sleep, they would get up, do something, be tired again, I'd put them to bed and praise them. The other two do not sleep on their own, but I did not work with them as much. It takes a little while but I think the point of this game is you're supposed to train them in a way, like kids. You put a kid to bed and they want water, potty, toys etc... but eventually after you say good boy/girl most their childhoods, they sleep on they're own lol

Just my opinion, hope its helpful.

I've been praising them so much when I put them to bed that a few times they've ran away because I was nagging. I know I'm supposed to train them, and it has worked in the other areas, but it's not working with the bed thing.

norah, well then I'm outta ideas... sorry I couldn't be of more help.

That's ok, thanks for trying .

I didn't really expect there to be any sure-fire solutions to something like this yet so early after the game's release.

edit:

Meanwhile though, I'm getting a little worried: They've aged 4 years and have only been exhausted the whole time, not getting anything done, either work or play.

I gotta say, that's lame. I know it is frustrating as I have similar issues but there has to be better ways around the issue. Maybe the Guide will give hints.