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Most people who aren’t parents turn their nose up whenever they see a kid with a phone or ipad in their hands, and we get it. This is the digital age and technology is unavoidable, even for a three year old. And although there’s nothing wrong with letting your kids enjoy an episode of their favorite show or a few games, allowing their obsession for more screen time to damage their sleep cycle is a big no no. Sleep is such an important aspect of development for your younger growing kids. So it is paramount that it is a priority to ensure that they rest well and sleep through the night. This is why getting screens out of the way before bedtime is the right move, because they do hinder sleep. In fact, a recent study found that although a small amount of screen time may not negatively affect one’s mental health, it does disrupt their sleep which can be a problem (1). So if you want to know exactly how screen time affects your child’s ability to sleep and what to do about it, then this is the article for you. Keep reading!

Here’s Why You Should Limit Screen Time Before Bed

Irrespective of whether it’s watching tv Playing video games or simply staring at a phone or laptop, several studies have shown us that screen time before bed can lead to a higher chance of your kids waking up more frequently in the middle of the night. It is a one way ticket to getting fewer hours of sleep (2). These are the two scenarios that you want to avoid at all cost lest your tiny tot wakes up grumpy and ready to wreak havoc. But hey, we understand why avoiding electronics can be a challenge in most households.

In most cases, older kids have to use laptops and phones in order to complete their homework. And sometimes parents have to resort to allowing their little one to watch their favorite show so that they’ll drift off to sleep. Or maybe use it in order to distract them so that they can put the baby to sleep. But it’s best to try to restrict their usage and curb the urge to use screens in order to get work done. The impact that screens have on sleep is undeniable. In fact studies have consistently shown us that screen time before bed can lead to kids of all ages facing sleeping issues as they grow older (3). It can lead to them experiencing daytime drowsiness as well which is an indication of lack of quality sleep.

It’s all about blue light coming from the screen! Blue light has the ability to suppress your body’s production of melatonin, which is the sleep hormone (4). Blue light, which is also found in the sun’s rays, is what helps us stay awake and alert, two things that you shouldn’t feel when trying to get a good night’s sleep. This blue light is also particularly disruptive to children’s sleep patterns. Not to mention that children often watch things that are scary or exciting which will keep their brain working even hours after their bedtime has begun. This can also cause nightmares that wake them up in the middle of the night. Screen time can also cut down on the amount of physical activity that your child does which can jeopardize their health and wellbeing.

Why Does Screen Time Affect Sleep?

It’s all about blue light coming from the screen! Blue light has the ability to suppress your body’s production of melatonin, which is the sleep hormone (4). Blue light, which is also found in the sun’s rays, is what helps us stay awake and alert, two things that you shouldn’t feel when trying to get a good night’s sleep. This blue light is also particularly disruptive to children’s sleep patterns. Not to mention that children often watch things that are scary or exciting which will keep their brain working even hours after their bedtime has begun. This can also cause nightmares that wake them up in the middle of the night. Screen time can also cut down on the amount of physical activity that your child does which can jeopardize their health and wellbeing.

Ways To Unwind That Don’t Involve Screens

So what do you do instead? The problem isn’t that you can’t live without screens, it’s finding an effective way to distract your little ones and keep them entertained. So it’s time to come up with a few more options to wind down after a long day.hese include reading or simply playing by themselves. Leave your kid alone with a good book and they’ll eventually take to it. You can also give them a bath or let them have a glass of warm milk so that they are in the mood to drift off to dreamland. You can decide what techniques to deploy on your kids but the goal is to keep them away from any screens after a certain time in the evening, 2 hours before bedtime would be ideal. You can also get some red light lamps or fairy lights in their rooms so that they have an easier time falling asleep.

Kids are never easy to contend with. The second you want to take away their source of fascination and entertainment they are going to throw a fit and make you miserable. But once you make the switch to less or no screen time before bed, there’s nothing like it. It will ensure that they don’t face any sleep problems and wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day!