Bedtime Use of Technology and Associated Sleep Problems in Children

Abstract

Children comprise one of the largest consumer groups of technology. Sleep is fundamental to optimal functioning during childhood, including health and behavior. The purpose of this study was to explore bedtime electronic use and its impact on 3 health consequences—sleep quantity and quality, inattention, and body mass index. Parents of 234 children, ages 8 to 17 years, were surveyed to quantify hours of technology use (computer, video games, cell phone, and television), hours of sleep, and inattentive behaviors. Using any device at bedtime was associated with a statically significant increased use of multiple forms of technology at bedtime and use in the middle of the night, reducing sleep quantity and quality. Little association was found between technology use and inattention. A statistically significant association was found between bedtime technology use and elevated body mass index. Clinicians should discuss the impact of technology at bedtime to prevent harmful effects of overexposure.

Mobile Phone Use and Mental Health. A Review of the Research That Takes a Psychological Perspective on Exposure

“…In cross-sectional studies with children, as well as with adults, bedtime mobile phone use (in the broad definition, above) was associated with later bedtimes [16,22,31,82,85,88,93,223,263], longer sleep onset latency [53,79,112,223,293], shorter sleep duration [14,15,22,36,71,82,86,148,161,202,210], insomnia or sleep problems [5,14,79,85,97,144,199,202,205,235,269,293], reduced sleep quality or sleep efficiency [5,32,53,71,79,82,83,167,202,205], and reduced daytime functioning or tiredness [79,86,93,112,121,202,223,242,248,277,293]. In one study, keeping the phone close, rather than placing the phone at a distance from the bed, was associated with less sleep problems [235].…”

Altered Gut Microbiota and Shift in Bacteroidetes between Young Obese and Normal‐Weight Korean Children: A Cross‐Sectional Observational Study

“…The present study also indicated that not only the lack of exercise but also the use of electronic devices for more than two hours a day was significantly higher in the obesity group. A recent study reported that electronic device usage close to bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns, which could lead to obesity [ 55 ]. Obesity is not only microbiota-driven; thus, a careful evaluation of all factors, including delivery mode, diet, and lifestyle, should be taken into account [ 56 ].…”

Exploring Brazilian Immigrant Mothers’ Beliefs, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Their Preschool-Age Children’s Sleep and Bedtime Routines: A Qualitative Study Conducted in the United States

“…An important finding of the present study was that many mothers reported their young children use electronic devices at nighttime for entertainment and as part of their bedtime routines. This finding is concerning given the growing evidence of the adverse effects of access to and nighttime use of electronic devices have on children’s sleep quality and duration [ 65 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ]. These findings indicate the need for interventions to help Brazilian immigrant parents increase their parenting skills to limit the availability of electronic entertainment devices in children’s bedrooms and to discourage children’s use of these devices at nighttime and as part of their bedtime routine.…”