Television or Computer in Bedroom Disturbs Sleep Pattern in Children

Televisions and computers in children's bedroom affect their sleep patterns, a recent study published in the journal BMC Public Health states.

Finnish researchers conducted the study on children from 27 different schools. These participants were aged between 10 and 11 years. Initially, they were told to fill in the details of their health behavior in a questionnaire and after 18 months they were asked the same questions again. They were also interviewed on their bedtime and wake-up habits during school days and weekends.

The researchers asked them whether they had a gaming console or television set in their bedroom. They also studied the amount of time children spent on watching television videos or DVDs and played games on computer.

The study results showed that the children with televisions or computers in the bedrooms tend to sleep less. They went to bed late in the night on school days and woke up late on weekends. The findings also showed that boys slept later compared to girls. "A media presence in the bedroom was also related to irregular sleep habits: a television and a computer in the bedroom among boys, and a television in the bedroom among girls," researchers wrote in the study.

Concluding the research, the team cautioned parents that too much use of television or computer can have a negative impact on children's sleep. "Children need extra sleep as they go through puberty, but our study finds that TV and computer use affect the sleep of children. This is especially true during the week and may be impacting their school work as well as their development. Media viewing habits should be considered for kids who are tired and struggling to concentrate, or who have behavior problems caused by lack of sleep," Teija Nuutinen of the Folkhälsan Research Center and the Department of Public Health at the University of Helsinki, advised.