Scientists have named a simple way to make a child's sleep stronger

Scientists have once again proved that removing screen time an hour before bedtime improves the quality of sleep. This time, the study concerned children.

The world's first randomized controlled trial (RCT) of screen time for kids, published in JAMA Pediatrics, showed how to make a child's sleep better. Pediatricians assure that falling asleep without a screen improves kids' sleep.

The study involved families with a baby aged 16 to 30 months. It lasted for 7 weeks.

One hundred and five families, all of whom regularly used screens with their children at bedtime, were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the intervention group, parents were instructed to eliminate all screen time in the hour before bedtime, replacing it with non-screen-related activities (e.g., calming games, reading, or puzzles). The control group engaged in similar activities without any specific mention of screen time. The baby's sleep was monitored before and after the intervention using a wearable motion tracker, according to the website of Queen Mary University of London.

Parents in the intervention group successfully removed screen time before bedtime, which led to improved sleep quality for their babies, including more efficient sleep and fewer nighttime awakenings.

"Previous correlation studies have shown that the more time young children spend on screens, the worse they sleep. However, it has been impossible to determine whether screen use causes sleep problems. And the Bedtime Boost study provides the first preliminary evidence that eliminating the screen before bedtime can lead to better sleep so that this effect can be replicated in more families," explains study leader Professor Tim Smith of the UAL Institute for Creative Computing.

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