Evening Screen Time Negatively Affects Kids' Sleep

Many young children have a problem going to sleep when it is their bed time. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics found that children between the ages of 3 and 5 had trouble sleeping if they had screen time after 7 p.m. Screen time includes television, video games or the computer. The amount of violent content in the program or game appears to be a contributing factor.

According to the study, about 20 percent of the 112 children involved had sleep problems almost every day of the week. Their issues included difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night, nightmares and being sleepy during the day. The children who watched violent television at night had the most sleep problems.

A hundred children averaged a half hour of nighttime television, and 28 percent of the group had difficulty sleeping. When it came to violent television, 60 of the children averaged about an hour daily. About 37 percent had trouble sleeping. Television is often a stimulant to small children. Evening viewing may lead to increased alertness, and prevent them from winding down for bedtime. The findings demonstrate the importance that parents monitor the amount of television young children watch so they meet their sleep needs.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Dr. Marc Weissbluth a sleep disorders specialist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, said children get ready for sleep with nighttime rituals that communicate that it is time for rest. Many families mistakenly believe that watching television helps their children go sleep, so they put televisions in their children’s room. Weissbluth suggests bedtime stories or cuddling with parents as healthier alternatives to television.

The findings are consistent with another study on bedtime routines published in the May 2009 issue of SLEEP. The study found that a healthy bedtime routine improves the sleep of infants and toddlers.

Image by Sean Dreilinger

iPad insomnia: Amazon Kindle better for your sleep than Apple tablet

With a nearly limitless library of books available for instant download, the Apple iPad is a tempting purchase for literature lovers.

There’s just one small deal-breaker: it’s bad for bedtime reading.

The device’s bright, colorful screen can get in the way of bedtime habits and encourage insomnia.

Over the weekend Frisca Yan-Go, director of the AASM certified UCLA Sleep Disorders Center, told the Los Angeles Times books won’t mess with your sleep cycle like the iPad.

“Light-emitting devices, including cell phones and yep, the iPad, tell the brain to stay alert. Because users hold those devices so close to their face, staring directly into the light, the effect is amplified compared with, say, a TV across the room or a bedside lamp, said Frisca Yan-Go, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center in Santa Monica.”

So using the iPad as an eReader isn’t much different than using a laptop or watching TV in bed, both habits we recommend against.

eReaders like the Amazon Kindle, appear to be a better alternative because they don’t give off light. The gadgets e-paper, a Sony developed technology that imitates the printed page.

AASM member and UCLA Neurology Clinic Director Alon Avidan also cautioned against using electronic gadgets before bed in an email to the Los Angeles Times. He did say however, that the Kindle is better for your sleep.

Dr. Oz: Rejuvenate While you Sleep

According to Dr. Oz, making small changes to your bedtime routine can help you maintain or restore your youth while you sleep.

Dr. Oz notes that everyone has some sort of bedtime routine they follow each night. By adding some of the steps below, you might be able to slow or even reverse the effects of aging.

1. Wash your face with gentle soap that hydrates and exfoliates.

2. Use a moisturizer that contains vitamin A to avoid and erase wrinkles.

3. Use a humidifier to keep your skin well-hydrated.

4. Keep a glass of water next to your bed so you don’t have to get up if you are thirsty.

5. Take half of your vitamins in the morning and half at night so they stay in your system all day.

Taking the time to enhance your sleep routine and nighttime habits may increase the quality and quantity of your sleep.

Many Americans place sleep at the bottom of their priority list, and practice poor sleep hygiene.

Earlier this month, the Sleep Education Blog reported that making small changes to your bedroom and your bedtime routine can help improve your sleep.

AASM member Dr. Charles Czeisler recently told ABC News that "You need to set aside the time for sleep. You need a few hours to unwind before. It takes time for the brain to wind down."

Consult a board-certified sleep expert at an AASM-accredited sleep center if your problems continue after you have improved your sleep environment and bedtime routine.

Getting Your Child to Sleep…Alone

Earlier this week on ABC, “Good Morning America” offered advice for parents whose children don’t like to sleep alone.

GMA correspondent Cameron Mathison went on a special assignment to tackle the issue. The location? His own house.


He and his wife Vanessa had been struggling to keep their two kids from sleeping in Mom and Dad’s bed. These co-sleeping parents would prefer to be sleeping solo. So family sleep therapist Jennifer Waldburger from Sleepy Planet came to the rescue.

She said that the whole family benefits when children learn to sleep well. Children who get enough sleep are smarter and happier, and they behave better.

“The benefits are huge,” Waldburger said. “As much as you love your kids now, you’re gonna’ love them even more when they are sleeping.”

She offered a variety of strategies to help parents who have this common problem. These included using morning rewards and having a “sleep party” in the children’s rooms.

After giving it a try, Cameron reports that they have had success for five days in a row.

“It worked!” he told GMA host George Stephanopoulos. “The point is they’re getting the sleep that they needed.”

Hundreds of viewers wrote the show with their own questions. Parenting expert Elizabeth Pantley answered some of these questions online.

Last month the Sleep Education Blog reported that “Living Well with Leisa” host Leisa Naples found a creative way to get her girls to wind down at night. She calls it “Family Spa Night.”

What about you? How have you taught your children to sleep in their own beds?

Changes in Bedtime Routine and Sleep Environment Can Improve Your Sleep

According to a recent blog post, making small changes in her night time habits and bedroom have helped Glamour Magazine’s Cindi Leive improve her sleep during Sleep Challenge 2010.

Leive said that since she began the sleep challenge, her awareness of her sleep has increased, and that has made a positive impact. She notes that the small changes she made to her night time habits and bedroom have increased the quality and quantity of her sleep. Some of the changes include buying a new pillow, creating a bedtime routine, making her bedroom darker and keeping electronics out of her room. Leive has also given herself a bedtime.

After speaking with several sleep experts, including AASM member Dr. Michael Breus, Leive and Huffington have focused on the factors that were keeping them from getting the sleep they need. They are currently in the process of making lifestyle changes that will allow sleep to be included as a major priority.

Last year, the Sleep Education Blog reported that following a nightly bedtime routine can reduce daytime sleepiness. Research showed that the most effective strategies to feel less sleepy were taking a bath and going to bed at the same time every night.

In order to improve your sleep the AASM also recommends that you:

• Wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.
• Avoid naps if you can during the day.
• Don’t drink caffeine in the afternoon.
• Don’t read, write, eat, watch TV, talk on the phone, or play cards in bed.
• Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little bit cool.

Find more tips about good sleep hygiene at Sleep Education.com.Contact an AASM-accredited sleep disorders center if you have an ongoing sleep problem.

Image courtesy of Glamour Magazine

Getting Young Children to Sleep

Leisa Naples knows how hard it can be to get young children to sleep at night. She is the mother of two sets of identical twin girls.

But the host and producer of “Living Well with Leisa” found a creative way to get her girls to wind down at night. She calls it “Family Spa Night.”



A recent study showed that Leisa’s idea may be a good one. It found that a simple, four-step, nightly routine helps young children sleep better.

The first step was for mothers to give their child a bath. The second step was to give a massage to infants or apply lotion to toddlers. The third step was to engage their child in quiet activities. This might involve cuddling or singing a lullaby. Finally the mothers turned out the lights within 30 minutes of the end of the bath.

Another study confirmed that poor “sleep hygiene” has a negative effect on the sleep patterns of young children. The authors concluded that good sleep hygiene helps young children sleep better.

Basic tips that parents should put into practice include:

• Letting children fall asleep independently
• Putting children to bed before 9 p.m.
• Establishing a bedtime routine that includes reading
• Helping children avoid caffeine
• Keeping a TV out of the bedroom

Read more about sleep and children.

Use Bedtime Routines and Relaxation Techniques to Sleep Better

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine examines the strategies people use to reduce daytime sleepiness.

Taking a bath was the most common sleep management practice for both men and women; 59 percent of men and 64.4 percent of women used it. Keeping a regular sleep schedule was the second most popular tactic.

People also wound down for the night by listening to music, snacking and exercising.

The results show that taking a bath and going to bed at the same time every night were the best ways to decrease daytime sleepiness. Snacking at night made people feel sleepier the next day.

One of the study’s authors said that culture influences the way people manage their sleep.

The study, conducted in Japan, includes data from 24,686 adults who completed a national health survey.

Don’t worry if you have a few sleepless nights. It is common to suffer from occasional bouts of insomnia. Stress, irregular sleep patterns and pain can cause you to lose sleep for short periods of time. This is known as adjustment insomnia. Once the problem is resolved sleep usually returns to normal.

What are some healthy ways to get better sleep?

The AASM recommends:

• Go to bed at a regular time each night.


• Wake up at the same time each night, even on weekends.


• Avoid naps if you can during the day.


• Don’t drink caffeine in the afternoon.

Find more tips about good sleep hygiene at Sleep Education.com.

Contact an AASM-accredited sleep disorders center if you have an ongoing sleep problem.

Image by Laura Taylor

Bedtime Battles: Helping Children Get Good Sleep

It is 9 p.m.; you are ready for your kids to go to sleep, but are they?

As the school year begins, parents may find themselves struggling to defeat the technological temptations that keep children awake late at night.

Research shows that children who don’t get enough sleep are at higher risk for emotional and behavioral problems. Distractions like computers, T.V. and video games can keep children from getting the sleep they need to stay healthy.

A study presented in June at SLEEP shows that adolescents who use technology (cell phone, DVDs, or computer games) and drink caffeine at night struggle to stay awake and alert during the day.

Parents can help children get the sleep they need by changing their nighttime behavior. Limiting use of technology at night and developing a nightly bedtime routine can lead to better sleep. Although it can be difficult to say no to your children, it is important to set limits and enforce bedtime.

In May, the Sleep Education blog reported that using a bedtime routine for children between the ages of 7 months and 3 years helps them sleep better and improves their mother’s mood.

Experts recommend the following amounts of sleep for children:

• Infants (3 to 11 months): 14 to 15 hours
• Toddlers: 12 to 14 hours
• Preschoolers: 11 to 13 hours
• School-age children: 10 to 11 hours

Parents can find tips to help their child sleep better at Sleep Education.com.

Children & Sleep: Fragile Bedtimes

A new study examined the bedtimes of young children in “fragile families.” It presents the latest findings from the ongoing Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.

What is a fragile family? The researchers use this term for unmarried parents and their children; these families are at greater risk of breaking up and living in poverty than more traditional families.

The study involved 3,217 children who were 3 years of age; all of them were born in large U.S. cities. The presence, time and consistency of bedtime routines were measured by parent report.

Results show that more than 80 percent of the children had a bedtime; but this bedtime was enforced for only two-thirds of the children. And only about half of these children went to bed before 9 p.m., reports CNN.

The study found that black and Hispanic children had later bedtimes than white children; they also had reduced odds of using regular bedtimes and bedtime routines.

Bedtime routines were less common in larger families and poor families; mothers with a lower level of education also were less likely to practice a bedtime routine with their young children.

The authors suggest that children who lack a bedtime and bedtime routine may fail to get enough sleep; the quality of their sleep also may be poor. This can increase their risk for behavioral and cognitive problems.

"What we find is that disadvantaged populations or lower-education populations have worse health outcomes,” lead author Lauren Hale, PhD, told CNN. “And it turns out they have worse sleep problems. Sleep patterns and sleep routines matter because they have both long-term and short-term implications for health and cognitive development."

In July the Sleep Education Blog reported that children who go to bed after 9 p.m. take longer to fall asleep; they also have a shorter total sleep time.

Another recent study showed that a simple, nightly bedtime routine helps young children sleep better.

On Sunday the San Francisco Chronicle published a review of the new book NurtureShock. One chapter of the book describes how sleep loss is affecting child development. You can read and comment on this chapter online.

Learn more about sleep and children on SleepEducation.com.

Parents: Help Kids Go Back to Sleep for School

You have all the school supplies on the list. You have new outfits or uniforms for your child to wear.

(Or you’ve pulled out the clothes that big brother or sister used to wear; they can be “new” again.)

In your head you anticipate all the upcoming changes to your daily schedule. It’s time to go back to school. But are your kids ready to go back to sleep?

Children tend to shift their sleep schedule during the lazy days of summer. They stay up late at night and then sleep late in the morning. So when the first day of school arrives, having to wake up at the crack of dawn can be a shock to the system.

To deal with this problem, sleep experts advise you to help your children begin to adjust their sleep schedule in the days before school starts.

For example your child can start going to bed and waking up 15 minutes earlier each day. This will be much more effective than if he or she tries to go to bed two hours earlier on the night before the first day of school.

Other tips for parents:

- Dim the lights earlier in the evening; let in sunlight earlier in the morning. The brain uses these lighting cues to help set the internal “body clock” that regulates sleep patterns.

- Begin having meals at the times when your children will eat during the school week. Meals are an important timing cue for the body’s sleep-wake cycle.

- Determine what time your child will need to wake up in the mornings for school; then set a

bedtime that will allow your child to get enough sleep. Teens need about nine hours of sleep each night; younger students need up to 11 hours of nightly sleep.

- Start practicing a regular bedtime routine with your child.

- Keep the TV and computer out of your child’s bedroom.

Get more tips to help your child sleep better.

Learn more about helping your child go back to sleep for school on SleepEducation.com. Read more sleep tips for students.

How to Help Your Child Sleep Better

A new study confirmed that poor “sleep hygiene” has a negative effect on the sleep patterns of young children.

The study analyzed data from a national poll of 1,473 parents and caregivers; their children ranged in age from newborns to 10-year-olds. The poll included questions on sleep habits and sleep patterns.

Having a late bedtime after 9 p.m. was associated with sleep problems across all ages. Children who went to bed late took longer to fall asleep; they also had a shorter total sleep time.

Having a parent present when the child falls asleep also affected all age groups; these children woke up more often during the night.

Children 3 years of age and older had a shorter total sleep time if they had a TV in the bedroom; they also obtained less sleep if they had no consistent bedtime routine.

Children 5 years of age and older slept less if they regularly consumed caffeine.

The authors concluded that good sleep hygiene helps young children sleep better. Basic tips that parents should put into practice include:

- Letting children fall asleep independently
- Putting children to bed before 9 p.m.
- Establishing a bedtime routine that includes reading
- Helping children avoid caffeine
- Keeping a TV out of the bedroom

In May the Sleep Education Blog reported that a simple, four-step nightly routine helps children sleep better. Children fell asleep faster, and they had fewer and shorter night wakings.

In March the blog reported on TV, children and bedtime. Studies indicate that watching TV can have a negative effect on children’s sleep.

Learn more about sleep and children on SleepEducation.com.

Help Your Infant or Toddler Sleep with This Simple Bedtime Routine

The solution to your child’s sleep problems might be a bedtime routine. A new study in the journal Sleep shows that a nightly routine helps young children sleep better.

What was the routine? The first step was for mothers to give their child a bath. The second step was to give a massage to infants or apply lotion to toddlers. The third step was to engage their child in quiet activities. This might involve cuddling or singing a lullaby. Finally the mothers turned out the lights within 30 minutes of the end of the bath.

This simple, nightly routine made a big difference. Children fell asleep faster, and they had fewer and shorter night wakings. Toddlers were less likely to call out to their parents or get out of their crib or bed.

The study involved 405 children between 7 months and 3 years of age. Mothers completed a daily sleep diary that included details of their child’s sleep patterns.

Go to SleepEducation.com to get more details about how this routine helped children sleep – and improved the mood of mothers.