Did you know that longer screen hours can lead to less and disturbed sleep in your child? And, it also impacts their memory and retaining ability?

Few things are more challenging than dealing with a tired child, whether they’re five years old or a teenager. Beyond the crankiness, there are serious concerns about the impact of sleep deprivation on memory and cognitive function. Several factors influence a child’s sleep, including physical activity and stress levels. However, recent studies have highlighted a strong connection between excessive screen time before bedtime and sleep disturbances, which can ultimately affect memory retention. It’s essential for parents to monitor and manage their children’s screen usage to promote healthy sleep habits and cognitive development.

Affects their cognitive abilities

If your child spends late hours gaming or texting, it’s challenging for them to achieve the recommended 8 to 10 hours of sleep. Even if they stop using devices before bedtime, it might take an hour or longer for their brains to transition into sleep mode. This delay can disrupt their ability to get sufficient restorative sleep, impacting their overall well-being and cognitive function. Establishing a bedtime routine that limits screen time before sleep can help promote better sleep quality and ensure your child gets the rest they need for optimal health and performance.

Increases mental activity and affects sleep

Engaging in video games and media before bedtime can trigger an adrenaline rush, leading to heightened mental activity. Research from Harvard Medical School indicates that the blue light released by bright screens can inhibit the production of melatonin, a hormone essential for promoting and maintaining sleep. As a result, exposure to screens before bedtime can disrupt the natural sleep cycle, thus making it hard for the child to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Minimizing screen time before bedtime can help regulate melatonin levels and improve sleep quality.

This poses a challenge for the quality of deep REM sleep that your child requires. REM sleep is crucial for consolidating information acquired during the day, including essential school lessons and assignments. Thus, an additional hour of nighttime gaming might impact your child’s ability to retain details from their history lesson earlier in the day. It underscores the importance of establishing healthy sleep habits to support optimal cognitive function and academic performance.

Even engaging in reading on a device just before bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted a study comparing individuals who read nightly from an iPad with those who read from a printed book. They found that those who read from the device experienced reduced sleepiness at night, decreased secretion of melatonin, a delay in their circadian rhythm, and lower alertness the following morning after eight hours of sleep compared to those who read from a printed book.

Decreased ability to manage stress

Sleep problems aren’t exclusive to teens managing their own screen time. Physicians at Boston Children’s Hospital conducted a study on the sleep habits of children aged 9 to 11. They discovered that extended daily screen time correlated with reduced sleep duration. Preteens who slept less than the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended 9 to 12 hours were more prone to attention and memory difficulties, diminished impulse control, behavioral issues, and reduced stress management abilities.

What is the right solution for parents to tackle such problems?

Parents face a dilemma with screens as they’ve become an integral part of our children’s lives, serving purposes like communication, socializing, and even education. While eliminating screens entirely isn’t feasible, limiting nighttime device use is crucial.

Research indicates that over two hours of screen exposure before bed can disrupt melatonin levels. Sleep experts recommend avoiding all screens, including TV, for at least an hour before bedtime. This allows children’s minds to relax and prepare for sleep, fostering better sleep quality and overall well-being.

If your tween or teen occasionally needs to stay up late for homework, there are strategies to minimize the impact on their sleep. For instance, lowering screen brightness and using blue-light-blocking glasses can help maintain melatonin production. Moreover, encouraging them to charge devices outside the bedroom also promotes better sleep hygiene.