Should I Ban Screens in My Child's Bedroom?
These days, screens are coming into children's lives at a younger and younger age. On one level, that can be a good thing, as many tablets can be a great way for kids to learn and have fun. But could all that blue light be disrupting your child's sleep patterns? At 5 Little Monkeys, we believe every child deserves the deep, restful sleep they need for proper growth and development. And in addition to offering a world-class sleep system for kids to make that happen, we think it might be time for parents to ban screens from kids' bedrooms.
Why You Might Want to Ban Screens from Your Child's Bedroom
According to a recent study from King's College London, the presence of a screen-based media device in a child's bedroom can negatively impact sleep. On its own, this isn't surprising: digital screens emit high-frequency blue light, which our brains interpret as daylight. This blue light can throw off the circadian rhythm if viewed too late in the night, preventing the brain from releasing melatonin and interfering with the body's natural sleep cycle.
But here's where things get interesting. Researchers found that the negative impact on sleep persisted even if the child wasn't using the phone or tablet. In other words, it's not just the use of a screened device that impacts sleep: even the presence of a phone or tablet in the room caused kids to get fewer hours of poorer-quality sleep than those without a screened device in the room.
Researchers aren't entirely sure why the effect persists even without the use of the device, but they did offer a theory. It may be that even when a child isn't using a screened device, the thought of a game or text conversation is enough to keep their brain active and running. Kids need to wind down from the day before they can fall asleep, and the data suggest that the simple presence of a phone, tablet, or other screened device in the bedroom may interfere with that process.
Order Your Mattress for Children Online
For us, this comes as little surprise. There are so many intrusions from the modern world onto the sleep rhythms of kids that most kids today barely get the amount of sleep they need. Banning screens from your child's bedroom is one way to fight those intrusions. And if you're looking for another way to improve your child's sleep, don't forget their mattress. The 5 Little Monkeys bed is purposely-designed to give kids the exact support they need for proper sleep, helping to keep your child healthy and happy as they grow up. Try the 5 Little Monkeys Sleep System today, 100% risk-free – and remember that the next time your child lays their head down to sleep, it might help to make sure there are no screens within a 10 meter radius.