Kids lose 26 minutes of sleep for every hour of screen time, says study

Have you noticed that screens disrupt your little ones' shuteye?

It may be the best way to keep them quiet but a new study suggests that putting kids in front of a screen can actually make them lose sleep. According to the Evening Standard, researchers at King’s College London and Birkbeck, University of London discovered that for every hour a child spends using a touchscreen device, he or she sleeps an average of 26.4 minutes less at night and takes longer to get to sleep. The same research found, however, that kids sleep an average of ten extra minutes during the day for each hour of screen time.

The disrupted sleep patterns could be down to screen exposure causing the brain to be more hyperactive and aroused, the researchers said. Those involved in the study did note, however, that there may be a link between certain use of a device and development in children. “One of our earlier studies showed that increased active touchscreen use — for example scrolling, rather than passively watching videos — was associated with earlier achievement in fine motor milestones in babies,” said Dr Tim Smith. The researchers concluded that further study is needed on the subject.