Removing Screen Time for One Hour Before Bed Aids Toddlers' Sleep
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Oct. 22, 2024 -- Parents can feasibly remove toddler screen time in the hour before bed and this removal is associated with improvements in toddler sleep, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Hannah Pickard, Ph.D., from University of London, and colleagues tested the feasibility of a seven-week, parent-administered screen time intervention (PASTI) in toddlers (aged 16 to 30 months) who have screen time in the hour before bed and assessed the impact of PASTI on toddlers' sleep and attention. The analysis included 105 families randomly assigned to the PASTI of removing screen time in the hour before bed plus use of a bedtime box (BB) of reading and puzzles, a BB only, or no intervention.
The researchers found that 94 percent of families adhered to PASTI, and PASTI was associated with reductions in parent-reported screen time. There were also small-to-medium improvements seen in objectively measured sleep efficiency with PASTI, as well as in night awakenings, and reduced daytime sleep. There was no association between PASTI and objective measures of attention. Compared with BB only, PASTI was associated with a difference in parent-reported effortful control and inhibitory control due to an increase in BB-only scores.
"Our findings support current pediatric guidance to avoid screen time in the hour before toddler bedtime," the authors write.
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2024
Read this next
Urinary Metal Levels Tied to Increased Risk for Later Heart Failure
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- There are consistent associations between elevated urinary metal levels and increased heart failure risk over time across geographically diverse cohorts...
Higher Temperatures Tied to Increased Probability of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Higher temperatures across the globe are associated with an increased probability of having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published...
Tons of Turkey Bacon Products Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 — Kraft Heinz Foods is recalling some 370,000 pounds of fully cooked turkey bacon products that may be contaminated with listeria, the U.S...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.