Samsung 3D TV not for the sleep deprived

The future of home entertainment is apparently off-limits if you're behind on your sleep.

Electronics manufacturer Samsung posted a warning about its 3D TVs on its website:

"Pregnant women, the elderly, sufferers of serious medical conditions, those who are sleep deprived or under the influence of alcohol should avoid utilising the unit's 3D functionality."

"Viewing 3D television may also cause motion sickness, perceptual after effects, disorientation, eye strain and decreased postural stability. It is recommended that users take frequent breaks to lessen the potential of these effects. If your eyes show signs of fatigue or dryness or if you have any of the above symptoms, immediately discontinue use of this device and do not resume using it for at least thirty minutes after the symptoms have subsided."

"Watching TV while wearing 3D glasses for an extended period of time may cause a headache or fatigue. If you experience a headache, fatigue or dizziness, stop viewing TV and rest."

3D TVs hit the market only recently. It remains to be seen whether theres any real detrimental effects from watching while sleep deprived or if Samsung is just protecting itself legally.

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Children, Media Violence & Nightmares

Just in time for Halloween, the thriller Paranormal Activity and horror flick Saw VI topped the box office charts last weekend. The House of the Devil opened on Friday.

They’re the kind of movies that the American Academy of Pediatrics wants parents to help their children avoid. The AAP has just released a revised policy statement on media violence.

It reports that the average young person will have viewed an estimated 200,000 acts of violence on TV by the age of 18 years. That doesn’t include exposure to violence in movies, music and video games.

Does this exposure to violence have an effect? The statement reports that it has been linked to a variety of physical and mental health problems in children and teens. This includes fear, depression, nightmares and sleep disturbances.

The AAP recommends that parents make thoughtful media choices that limit violent content. Parents should view and discuss programs together with their children.

Parents also are encouraged to limit their children’s screen time to one or two hours per day. This includes time watching TV and videos, playing video games and surfing the Internet.

The AAP also advises parents to keep the TV, computer and video games out of children’s bedrooms. It reports that children with a TV in their bedroom watch an additional hour of TV per day.

Children also are likely to sleep better in a media-free room. In March the Sleep Education Blog reported that sleep problems often occur when children have a TV in their bedroom.

When nightmares do occur, parents can provide comfort and reassurance. Learn more about nightmares and children.

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.

“Bonne Nuit”: Sleep Lessons from France

In May the Sleep Education Blog reported that people in France rank first in the world in getting the most sleep. One reason they get more sleep than Americans may be that they work four fewer hours per week.

Author Mireille Guiliano recently offered her own perspective on the sleeping prowess of the French. Guiliano grew up in provincial France and was educated in Paris. Currently she resides in Manhattan.

She has observed that Americans “seem to think it’s a badge of honor to sleep five or six hours a night.” As a result, she believes that, “Sleep…is the most neglected state of being in American life.”

How do people in France get more sleep than Americans? One key difference Guiliano noted has to do with TV.

“The French don’t watch much television,” she wrote. So while Americans are up watching late-night TV, the French are likely to be in bed by 11 p.m.

A study in the June 1 issue of the journal Sleep examined data from the 2003 to 2006 American Time Use Survey. Results show that watching TV was the primary pre-bedtime activity. People watched an average of 56 minutes of TV in the two hours before going to bed.

Guiliano added that instead of watching TV, the French tend to enjoy a relaxing dinner after work. And in addition to turning off the TV, they shut the computer down too.

What do you think? Do we have some sleep lessons to learn from the French?

Get sleep tips from the AASM on SleepEducation.com.

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Wired: Technology, Caffeine Keeping Teens Awake at Night

Technology-savvy teens can excel at multi-tasking. They can send text messages, surf the Internet and watch their favorite TV show all at the same time.

But a new study shows that technology may be taking a toll on their sleep. Many teens are staying up too late and consuming too much caffeine. As a result, they’re not getting enough sleep to remain alert during the day.

The study involved students between the ages of 12 and 18 years. They reported how much time after 9 p.m. they use various technological devices.

WebMD reports that watching TV was the most common activity; 82 percent of participants watched TV after 9 p.m. Fifty-five percent reported being online; 44 percent reported talking on the phone; and 42 percent reported listening to an MP3 player. Other common activities were watching movies, text messaging and playing computer games.

Multi-tasking was high; teens used an average of four technological devices after 9 p.m. Teens who did more multi-tasking tended to drink more caffeine.

Only 20 percent of participants got eight to 10 hours of sleep per night; these teens tended to do less multi-tasking after 9 p.m.

Thirty-three percent of teens reported falling asleep in school. Students who fell asleep in class consumed 76 percent more caffeine.

The AASM reports that most teens need a little more than nine hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested during the day. But a shift in the timing of their body clock causes teens to feel sleepy later at night. This explains why it can be hard for them to fall asleep before 10 p.m.

The AASM recommends that parents keep the TV and computer out of their teen’s bedroom. Parents also should set a “communication curfew” at night; set a time after which your teen can no longer talk on the phone or send text messages, instant messages or e-mails.

Learn more about teens and sleep loss on SleepEducation.com. Parents can get more tips for teen bed times.

The Young & the Restless: Children, TV & Bedtime

The AP reports that there is some controversy over a bedtime TV program for children. “The Good Night Show” is a three-hour block of programs for children between the ages of 2 and 5. It airs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the PBS Kids Sprout network.

A network executive says the show is a helpful tool in the “real world” where most homes have a TV on at night. It’s a better viewing option for children than other programs that are on at the same time.

But critics say that parents should be interacting with their children instead of plopping them in front of the TV at night. They also say that TV viewing can make it harder for children to fall asleep. It stimulates them when they should be winding down.

Research shows that there is good reason to be concerned. Studies indicate that watching TV can have a negative effect on children’s sleep.

A study in 1999 involved 495 children in kindergarten through the fourth grade. Increased TV viewing at bedtime was linked to bedtime resistance, delayed sleep onset, sleep anxiety and short sleep duration.

Research also shows that sleep problems frequently occur when children have a TV in their bedroom.

A 2007 study involved children who were 5.5 years of age. Having a TV in the bedroom was associated with sleep problems. Forty-one percent of the children had a TV in their bedroom.

You might think that this problem is unique to children in the U.S. But it is common in other countries as well.

One study involved children between 6 and 12 years of age in Japan. Watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Internet had a negative impact on sleep. Children were more active before bedtime if they had a TV or video game system in their bedroom.

About 18 percent of children in a Chinese study had a TV or computer in the bedroom. These children had later bedtimes and wake times, and shorter sleep durations. They also were more likely to display bedtime resistance and sleep anxiety.

In a study from Belgium, teens with a TV set in their bedroom went to bed later and spent less time in bed. Teens who watched more TV also woke up later and were more tired.

It’s clear that parents should keep the TV out of their child’s bedroom. While you’re at it, take the computer out of the bedroom too.

You also can help your child wind down for bedtime by turning off the TV and the computer earlier in the evening.