Health: Sleep disorders in children may be caused by the use of digital devices

Sleep disorders are rising in children and the cause could be something we all use every day.

The number of children being admitted to hospital for sleep disorders has risen over the last few years and medical experts believe it is due to the overuse of digital devices. They also felt that too much screen time was leading to other medical and emotional issues like obesity and mental health problems. Experts on the recent surge in sleep disorders have said that one problem, in particular, is the use of social media or screen time too close to bedtime for children. This is because the white light from phone screens makes us feel more awake than the yellow or softer lighting from things like lamps. They felt that there was no need to remove digital devices completely from young children but to instead set boundaries for when and where they can use them. I've noticed even with myself that I find it much harder to fall asleep if I've been on my phone right before bed and have been trying to cut down on the habit. But when we use our phones as time-telling devices and alarm clocks we usually need to keep them beside us and then the temptation can become too great. If your teenager is having the same problem invest in a good alarm clock for them so they can put their phone/tablet/laptop into another room at night to stop themselves from getting into bad screentime habits. It's especially important for children to get a good night's sleep so doing everything you can to make that happens will help to ensure that they are ready for everything the following day has in store for them. Having a good night's sleep is also crucial for a child's mental health and development.