Cell phones and screens are keeping your kid awake

CNN
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Teachers these days are often confronted with classrooms full of students yawning and staying up late taking selfies and playing online games.

Children and teens who use their phones, tablets and computers at night are associated with a loss of sleep time and quality, a new study reveals. Even children who don’t use cell phones or other technology that clutters their bedrooms at night are prone to close their eyes and feel sleepy during the day. Analysis published today in JAMA Pediatrics find.

The analysis found “consistent patterns of effects across a wide range of countries and settings,” said lead author Dr. Ben Carter, senior lecturer in biostatistics at King’s College London.

Carter and his colleagues searched the medical literature and identified hundreds of applicable studies conducted between January 1, 2011, and June 15, 2015. 14 and a half years. After extracting the appropriate data, Carter and his coauthors conducted their own meta-analysis.

Few parents would be surprised by this result. The researchers found “strong and consistent associations” between media device use at bedtime and insufficient amount of sleep, poor sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness. .

But surprisingly, Carter and his team found that even children who didn’t use devices in their bedrooms were more likely to suffer from the same problem with disrupted sleep. The lights and sounds emitted by technology and the content itself can be too stimulating.

Carter admits that the weakness of this analysis was “how the data were collected in the primary study: self-reports by parents and children,” but many of us probably presume that the statistics reflected You will recognize the customs of your family.

A large public opinion poll conducted in the United States National Sleep Foundation (PDF) reported in 2013 that 72% of all children and 89% of teens have at least one device in their sleep environment. The same report found that most of this technology is used before bedtime.

According to Carter and his co-authors, this ubiquitous technology negatively impacts children’s sleep by delaying their sleep time once they finish watching a movie or play another game. increase.

The light emitted by these devices can also affect circadian rhythms, the timing of the body clock, and biological processes such as body temperature and hormone release, researchers explain. A specific hormone, melatonin, induces fatigue and contributes to the timing of sleep and wake cycles. Electric lights slow down the release of melatonin, disrupting this cycle and making it difficult to fall asleep.

Carter and his co-authors also found online content to be psychologically stimulating, suggesting that even if children and teens turn off their devices and try to sleep, they may still be awake an hour later. suggests that there is

“Sleep is essential for children,” said Dr. Sujay Kansagra, director of the Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program at Duke University Medical Center, who was not involved in the new analysis. “We know that sleep plays an important role in brain development, memory, autoregulation, attention, immune function, cardiovascular health, and more.”

Author of Kansagramy child does not sleepThe brain develops most during the first three years of life, which is when we need sleep the most. “It’s hard to believe that this is a coincidence.”

Cansagra said it’s possible that parents underestimate their children using devices at night, but it’s more likely that technology is simply interfering with their sleep hygiene. “For example, children who are allowed to leave their devices in their room are more likely to avoid good sleep routines that have been shown to help them sleep,” he said.

Dr. Neil Klein, president of the American Sleep Association, agrees that sleep plays an essential role in the healthy development of children. There are even studies that show a link between ADHD and some sleep disorders. ”

In many respects, the results of the new study are not surprising. “Sleep hygiene has been greatly impacted by technology, especially in his teenage years,” Klein said, drawing on research as well as his own “personal experiences and anecdotes from many other sleep professionals.” ” based on this opinion.

sleep hygiene – Tips for promoting quality, consistent, and adequate sleep – include having a quiet room. “And that means getting rid of sleep-disrupting things like electronics, TVs, and even pets,” Klein said.

Another important tip is to National Sleep Foundation, recommends at least 30 minutes of “gadget-free transition time” before bed. Turn it off for better sleep.

Other recommendations for good sleep hygiene include not exercising (physically or mentally) too close to bedtime. Establish a regular sleep schedule. Limit light exposure before sleep. Avoid stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine for several hours before bed. Create a dark, comfortable and peaceful sleeping environment.