Summary: A first-ever study has demonstrated that reducing screen time before bed significantly improves baby ‘ sleep quality. The study involved 105 individuals, and it revealed that child who substituted screen time for calm, non-screen activities slept more effectively and slept more frequently at night.
Parents in the treatment team managed to reduce camera day, and all families successfully completed the seven-week test. These findings provide concrete proof that paediatric guidelines should be used to limit screen time before bed in order to promote better sleep in young children.
Important Information:
- Toddlers sleep more soundly when they are free of camera time before sleep.
- After switching panels to soothing activities, child had fewer nighttime awakenings.
- This sleep plan is the first randomised controlled trial to be supported by this research.
Origin: University of Bath
A world-first randomised controlled trial (RCT) of child screen time demonstrated that reducing display time before bed increases the toddler’s quality of sleep.
It is well known that inadequate sleep in early adolescence is associated with undesirable outcomes, such as health concerns, development issues, and behavioral problems.
The , Bedtime Boost , research, funded by the Nuffield Foundation is the first RCT supporting geriatric direction to reduce child display moment before bed.
Researchers from University of Bath, University of the Arts London ( UAL ), Birkbeck, Queen Mary University of London, and King’s College London recruited families with 16- to 30-month-old toddlers from across London.
One hundred and five families who already used screens with their child before bed were randomly allocated to either , the intervention , – parents were asked to remove all screen time in the hour before bed and use a Bedtime Box containing non-screen-based activities instead ( e. g. calming play, reading or puzzles ) over a 7-week period, or to , control conditions, with matched activities but no mention of screen time. Before and after the treatment, a portable motion tracker was used to record the toddler’s sleep.
Families in the treatment team were able to effectively cut down toddlers ‘ monitor time before sleep, and their sleep quality improved, with more effective nighttime sleep and fewer nighttime awakenings.
Professor Rachael Bedford, who oversaw the research at the University of Bath and is now Head of the Queen Mary , Child Development Lab , and co-lead on the task said:  ,
We worked closely with families and early-child development specialists to make sure the Night Improve intervention was affordable and simple to implement.
Results indicate that the test was extremely appropriate for parents, with all of the treatment families completing the test. However, more research is required to understand how the various ways that people use display media may affect these results.
Research head Professor Tim Smith, UAL Creative Computing Institute, said:
Past observational studies have shown that toddlers sleep worse the more screen time they spend. However, it was impossible to determine whether display apply was causing sleep issues or the other way around.
The Sleep Increase research provides the primary direct indication that removing child display use before bed may improve sleep. To simulate these results in a larger number of families, more work is needed.
The action was co-created with people and early-years specialists, including representatives from the Early Years Alliance, National Childbirth Trust, The Sleep Charity, and children’s heart team, to ensure the action was as inclusive as possible.
About this information on research into rest and neurodevelopment
Publisher: Chris Melvin
Source: University of Bath
Contact: Chris Melvin – University of Bath
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Start entry.
Rachael Bedford et al.'” Toddler Screen Use Before Bed and Its Impact on Nap and Notice A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatrics
Abstract
Toddler Screen Use Before Bed and its Impact on Attention and Nap A Randomized Clinical Test
Importance
Poorer rest and different levels of attention have been linked to child screen time. The most crucial task is to understand the direct effects of camera time on early growth.
Objective
To test ( 1 ) the feasibility of the 7-week parent-administered screen time intervention ( PASTI ) in toddlers ( aged 16-30 months ) who have screen time in the hour before bed and ( 2 ) the impact of PASTI on toddlers ‘ sleep and attention.
Design, Setting, and Participants ,  ,
This assessor-blinded, UK-based randomised clinical trial was conducted between July 2022 and July 2023. People who lived 75 miles from the Babylab, had 10 days or more of screen time before bed on 3 or more occasions, and were enrolled in this one-site research. Exclusion criteria were ( 1 ) a genetic or neurological condition, ( 2 ) premature birth ( <, 37 weeks ), and ( 3 ) current participation in another study.
Interventions
Families were randomized ( 1: 1: 1 ) to ( 1 ) PASTI: caregivers removed toddler screen time in the hour before bed and used activities from a bedtime box instead (eg, reading, puzzles ), ( 2 ) bedtime box ( BB only ): used matched before-bed activities, with no mention of screen time, or ( 3 ) no intervention ( NI): continued as usual.
Main Result and Measures ,
 , Feasibility results: participation rate, action commitment, retention, family experiences, and evaluation acceptability. Performance outcomes: display employ, actigraphy-measured sleep, and eye-tracking interest measures.
Results
A total of 427 families were screened, 164 were eligible ( 38.4 % ), and 105 families were randomized ( mean]SD] age, 23.7]4.6] months, 60 male]57 % ] ). The trial was feasible, with 99 % participant ( 104 of 105 ) retention and 94 % of families ( 33 of 35 ) adhering to PASTI. PASTI showed reductions in parent-reported display time ( opposed NI: Cohen , d = −0.96, 95 % CI, −1.32 to −0.60, vs BB simply: Cohen , d = −0.65, 95 % CI, −1.03 to −0.27 ). PASTI showed small to medium changes in objectively measured sleep efficiency ( vs NI: Cohen , d = 0.27, 95 % CI, −0.11 to 0.66, vs BB only: Cohen , d = 0.56, 95 % CI, 0.17-0.96 ), nighttime awakenings ( vs NI: Cohen , d = −0.28, 95 % CI, −0.67 to 0.12, vs BB only: Cohen , d = −0.31, 95 % CI, −0.71 to 0.10 ), and reduced daytime nap ( vs NI: Cohen , d = −0.30, 95 % CI, −0.74 to 0.13 ) but no change compared with BB only.
There was no discernible difference between PASTI and other goal steps of interest. Compared with BB only, PASTI showed a difference on parent-reported effortful control ( Cohen , d = −0.40, 95 % CI, −0.75 to −0.05 ) and inhibitory control ( Cohen , d = −0.48, 95 % CI, −0.77 to −0.19 ), due to an increase in BB-only scores.
Opinions and Relevance ,  ,
This randomised clinical trial’s results demonstrate that, in line with neonatal recommendations, it was possible to cut screen time before toddler bedtime and that there were only minor initial positive effects on sleep. A future complete confirmation test is needed before PASTI’s implementation by parents and doctors.
Test Registration ,  ,
ISRCTN. org Identifier:  , ISRCTN58249751
