I know I am not alone in this, but trying to get the kids off to bed now that the evenings are a little longer is a real struggle that is only going to get harder.
And much as I think it is important for them to be allowed to enjoy a little freedom (and by freedom I mean going to bed at 8.30 instead of 8!), studies have shown that kids that have an earlier bedtime, (between 6 to 9 p.m.) sleep longer, are healthier, and have stronger cognitive skills compared to children that fall asleep later in the evening. Yikes.
According to this study, researchers found that children who sleep later in the evening — 10 p.m. or later — took longer to fall asleep, and were more likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
Not surprisingly, it turned out that the more well-rested munchkins don’t just sleep better: they were also able to function to a greater degree at school. Another study, published in American Academy of Pediatrics, monitored 7- to 11-year-old students, and their sleep cycle. The students who were put to bed an hour earlier for five nights were rated by their teachers (who were unaware of the children’s bedtime) as being less irritable and impulsive than usual.
And as if that wasn’t enough evidence that early bedtimes are all sorts of great, in yet another study, researchers reported that 18-month-olds who went to bed before 10 p.m. were at a lower risk for motor, language, and social deficits compared with kids who went to bed later.
What time is bedtime in YOUR house? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @Herfamilydotie
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