Over the past several months, screen time for children has increased almost out of necessity as families rely on devices for comfort, entertainment and education while they navigate a new normal.
Still, it’s important to manage screen time, especially around bedtime. “More than 70% of kids between ages 6-17 sleep with at least one electronic device in their bedroom,” Tina M. Khaleghi, MD, a pediatrician with Meritas Health Pediatrics, said. “Kids who have a device in their bedroom lose up to one hour of sleep per night. Over the course of a week, that’s one night of good sleep.”
Sleep loss can lead to:
- Chronic headaches
- Fatigue
- Higher body mass index
- Weight gain
“When you’re tired during the day, your body isn’t at peak performance, so your metabolism slows down and fat begins to store up,” Dr. Khaleghi explained. “People also tend to turn to sugary foods and caffeine when they’re tired, which leads to weight gain.”
Build Better Sleep Habits
- Create tech-approved areas outside the bedroom
- Cut off screen time one hour before bedtime
- Remove all devices from the bedroom (it’s not enough to tell kids to turn them off
Dr. Khaleghi shared more advice about sleep and technology with Fox4. Watch now.
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