“Sleep is the best meditation.” – Dalai Lama
Ever since the boom of smart gadgets and social media platforms, our lifestyle has changed. We spend more time with gadgets than family, play more mobile games than outdoor games and finally – the most important one – we sideline sleep and give more prominence to using gadgets.
So, how has it affected our children?
Lack of sleep can have many effects on people, especially in young children and unregulated screen time is one of the reasons for the chaotic sleep schedules of today’s children. Sleep is directly linked to the physical and mental well-being of children. Lack of it can cause weight loss, depression, stress, insomnia, stunted growth, and a lot of other health conditions.
How does screen time affect children’s sleep?
Looking at the screen can be tiring for the eyes and can make one sleepy. When we consider that fact, many people will believe that it should aid in sleeping instead of causing a lack of it. If it is once or twice, it will work as intended. But unregulated screen usage of children can have an adverse effect. The blue light emitted from the digital screens can reduce the production of melatonin by the brain. Melatonin is responsible for maintaining our sleep schedule. The biological clock inside our bodies gets disrupted by this action. It can cause your children to stay awake at night and feel sleepy during the day. It can be the cause of children sleeping during lectures or not paying attention during class. Long-term sleep deprivation can even cause obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
It is an issue that demands your attention.
So, what can you do to handle this prominent curry-day challenge?
- Have a regular bedtime schedule
Make them follow a bedtime routine. Doing these activities can help remind the brain it is time for sleep and induce sleepiness. It can be simple actions like brushing the teeth or getting into sleep time clothes. Make sure your children follow it regularly so that it becomes a habit.
- Schedule screen time
Create a strict schedule for your children to use their digital screens. Make sure that the usage stops at least an hour before their scheduled bedtime. It can help reduce the amount of blue light and protect them against reduced melatonin production. When making the schedule, have a discussion with your children and take into account their opinions and needs. If they request extra screen time, make them justify their need for it, and accept the reasoning accordingly.
- Technology-free zones
Assign areas in the house as technology-free areas. Make the bedroom and the bed technology-free areas. Don’t let them use their devices lying down. It can help prevent screen usage close to bedtime.
- Make the bedroom comfortable
Make them want to go to bed. It is helpful in the case of young children. Decorating the bedroom or having a sleep time toy or doll will make children excited for bedtime.
- Accountability
If your children fail to keep to their schedule or bring devices into the technology-free areas, warn them by taking away their privileges. You can try reducing the scheduled screen time, taking away devices, and so on. Make them understand that their actions will have consequences.
- Show by example
Children grow up imitating their parents. So, be role models and show them how they can use their screen time responsibly and stop using the devices well before bedtime. You can spend the time together and engage in conversation or even read to them.
- Use parental control
Many apps and software are available that help regulate the timings in which children can use them. Some of them even have features to control the type of content your children can see. They are great ways to help limit their screen time and stop their use well before bedtime.
- Provide them alternatives
One way to encourage them to reduce screen time, in general, is to provide alternatives that can hold their attention. One of the best ways is to introduce them to the world of reading. It can be a great help to make them fall asleep at night too. Find out what sort of books your children are interested in and start engaging them. You can read to them if they are too young to read by themselves. You can also try story-telling, playing board or card games, acting out your favourite movie scene, and so on. Make it fun for your children. It can be a good bonding experience and also help reduce screen time for the whole family.
- Review regularly
Regularly review your child’s sleep schedule and screen time usage. If your plans are not working, analyze where it is going wrong and correct it. If it is going well, see how you can improve it.
- Special screen glasses
There are spectacles you can buy that reduce the strain on the eye while using digital screens. They also help filter the blue light emitted by the screen. These can help protect your children to a certain degree. Consult an ophthalmologist if you have any doubts.
- Allow them playtime and outdoor time
Children are fountains of overflowing energy. So, if they are not tired when bedtime arrives, it is not likely that they will be willing to go to bed. Letting them play and spend time outdoors can help tire them out a bit and help them fall asleep fast.
We hope these tips help you out in managing your child’s screen time. Also, if your children have trouble falling asleep and it is affecting their health, seek medical help. There’s always a solution to each and every problem! 🙂
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