More TV Before Bedtime Linked to Later Sleep Onset in Children

The study, “Presleep Activities and Time of Sleep Onset in Children,” published online Jan. 14, tracked children’s activities in the 90 minutes before bedtime and investigated how those activities were related to the time they fall asleep.

A survey of more than 2,000 children and adolescents ages 5 to 24 in New Zealand collected data about how children spent their time in the evening, including eating, getting ready for bed, reading or doing homework, watching television, playing video games, listening to music, and other activities. For all children in the sample, television watching dominated the presleep period, with screen time accounting for roughly 30 minutes of the 90-minute period. Those with a later sleep onset reported up to 13 more minutes of screen time in the presleep period than those with an earlier sleep onset.

Study authors conclude that reducing screen time may help promote earlier sleep onset in children and adolescents.