Children hooked on TVs and tablets are failing to get enough sleep, new study says

Six out of 10 kids get too little sleep - because they're hooked on tablets and TV. And almost as many of two-to-11-year-olds don't have a regular bedtime.

Digital overload and poor parenting have led to a nationwide crisis in sleeping habits.

Two thirds of children also experience difficulty falling asleep or suffer from sleep problems such as sleep talking or walking, which can further diminish sleep quality.

Four out of 10 have a TV or tablet in their bedroom and almost a quarter of children do not have a bedtime story.

The survey of 2,064 adults who care for a child aged between 2-11 years, carried out by The Junior Fine Bedding Company, reveals that 57 percent of children aged two-to-four are getting less than the recommended 11.5 hours sleep a night.

The problem is even more pronounced in children of school age, with 63 percent of four-to-seven-year olds and 65 percent of eight-11 years olds getting less than the recommended hours.

Experts claim a lack of sleep can affect learning and memory ability which is closely linked to academic performance. Obesity, a reduced immune system, bad moods and behaviour and even depression have also been tied to sleep deprivation in children.

Many experts attribute the presence of TVs and computers in children's bedrooms as a major cause of the problem, resulting in over-stimulation of the brain and delaying the time that children go to bed.

The survey revealed that four in 10 children aged 4-11 years had a TV or iPad in their bedroom with "watching TV", "playing computer games" and "phoning/texting friends" listed amongst the top culprits behind a later bedtime.

The survey also indicated that busy lifestyles and the additional demands and pressures on our nation's children are having a detrimental impact on their sleep habits. 'After school clubs and activities', 'Homework' and 'Parents working or returning home late' were also listed as reasons behind late bedtimes. Worryingly, only 67 percent of 2-4 year olds, 57 percent of 4-7 year olds and 48 percent of 8-11 year olds were found to have a regular bedtime.

Shockingly only 61 percent of children aged 2-4 years enjoyed a regular bedtime routine, with this figure dropping to just 24 percent for children aged 8-11. The most popular elements of the bedtime routine included having a bath, story time/reading, a hot drink and talking about the day. Almost a quarter of children do not have a story at bedtime and of those that do, one in 5 get a story just once a week.

Sara Wadsworth, from The Junior Fine Bedding Company, said, "Today's busy lifestyles appear to be having a detrimental impact on the amount and quality of sleep that our children are getting, squeezing the time available for a regular bedtime and bedtime routine. Over-stimulation from TV's and computer/tablet screens is further adding to the problem by reducing the child's ability to get to sleep and also the quality of sleep they are then able to enjoy." 

Source: Children hooked on TVs and tablets are failing to get enough sleep, new study says