Watching TV at night can lead to sleep disturbances in preschoolers, a new study revealed. It may seem like stating the obvious, but of the 617 youngsters studied, those who watched TV after 7pm were most likely to experience sleep trouble.
The government-funded study, which was published in Pediatrics, supports current recommendations by The American Academy of Pediatrics about limiting screen time -- to none for children under two, and no more than two hours per day for older kids.
Contrary to what many parents believe, night time television does not have a lulling effect. Quite the opposite. The Academy is also adamant that kids shouldn't have TVs in their bedrooms, although at least one in four U.S. preschoolers do and end up watching more TV as a result.
Nearly one in five of the children studied reported sleep problems most days of the week, from difficulty falling asleep, to awakening throughout the night, nightmares, and daytime drowsiness.
Interestingly, TV was the main source of screen time cited, rather than computers or video games.
Dr. Marc Weissbluth, a sleep disorders specialist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital and author of several books on healthy sleep habits, insists that young children sleep best when there are calming night time rituals in place, including bedtime stories and cuddles with parents.
He further claimed that lack of sleep is "as dangerous as iron deficiency" and can lead to "behaviour difficulties, memory problems and academic struggles."
No doubt, the same can also be said of moms and dads. While it's unrealistic to ban all screen time, you may want to think about switching off the tube long before you hit the hay. After all, a happy house is a well-rested house.
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