Study Finds that Small Screens in Children’s Bedrooms Can Harm Sleep

When your little one asks to watch just one more show before bedtime, it could actually be doing him harm. Research has shown children who have a television (or even a smartphone or tablet) in their bedrooms have later bedtimes and aren’t getting enough sleep at night.

The study, “Sleep Duration, Restfulness, and Screens in the Sleep Environment,” surveyed 2,048 fourth- and seventh-graders about bedtimes, wake times, feelings of sleepiness and the presence of televisions, smartphones and other small screens in their bedrooms. Children who slept near a small screen and children with a television in their bedroom slept less hours at night than those who slept without screens in their rooms.

And it’s not just limited to TV or DVD viewing. Video and computer game playing were also associated with shorter weekday sleep duration and sleepiness, too.

So if you want your kids to get their 8 hours of sleep, skip pre-bedtime screen time — and make sure that smartphones and tablets are tucked away until morning.

Photo Credit: Sven Scheuermeier/Unsplash
No Comments Yet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

We're so glad you're here! 

Sign up to get more celebrity stories delivered daily to your inbox!

Thanks! You have successfully subscribed to the newsletter.

There was an error while trying to send your request. Please try again.

will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.