Summary: The Bedtime Boost study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, investigated how reducing screen time before bed affects toddler sleep. Conducted by researchers from multiple UK universities, the study involved 105 families with toddlers aged 16 to 30 months. Families were divided into two groups: one that eliminated screen time before bed, replacing it with non-screen activities, and a control group that received no specific screen-time instructions. Results showed that removing screen use before bedtime improved sleep quality, with toddlers experiencing more efficient sleep and fewer night awakenings. Researchers emphasized the need for further studies to replicate these findings in larger groups.
Key Takeaways:
- Screen Time Reduction Improves Sleep: Toddlers whose parents eliminated screen use before bed showed improved sleep quality, including fewer night awakenings and more efficient sleep.
- Preliminary Evidence on Screen Use and Sleep: The Bedtime Boost study provides early evidence that removing screen time before bed may lead to better sleep, although further research is needed to confirm the results.
- Feasible for Families: The intervention was designed to be low-cost and easy for families to implement, with all participating families completing the trial successfully.
It is widely acknowledged that poor sleep in early childhood is associated with negative outcomes, including health issues, developmental delays, and behavioral challenges. The Bedtime Boost study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, supports pediatric advice recommending the reduction of toddler screen time before sleep.
Researchers from the University of the Arts London (UAL), Birkbeck, Queen Mary University of London, University of Bath, and King’s College London enlisted families with toddlers aged 16 to 30 months from across London.
One hundred and five families, all of whom routinely used screens with their children before bed, were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the intervention group, parents were instructed to eliminate all screen time in the hour preceding bedtime, replacing it with a Bedtime Box containing non-screen-based activities (such as calming play, reading, or puzzles) over a seven-week period.
The control group engaged in similar activities without any specific mention of screen time. Toddler sleep was monitored before and after the intervention using a wearable motion tracker.
Removing Screen Time Results in Better Sleep
Parents in the intervention group successfully removed screen time before bed, resulting in improved sleep quality for their toddlers, including more efficient sleep and fewer night awakenings.
“Previous correlational studies have shown that the more screen time toddlers have, the worse they sleep. But it was not possible to know if the screen use was causing sleep problems or vice versa,” says study lead, professor Tim Smith, PhD, from UAL’s Creative Computing Institute, in a release. “The Bedtime Boost study provides the first preliminary evidence that removing toddler screen use before bed may lead to better sleep. Further work is required to replicate these effects in a larger number of families.”
The intervention was co-developed with families and early-years professionals, including representatives from the Early Years Alliance, National Childbirth Trust, The Sleep Charity, and children’s center staff, ensuring the program was as inclusive as possible.
“We worked closely with parents and early years practitioners to ensure the Bedtime Boost intervention was low-cost and easy to implement. Results suggest the trial was highly feasible for parents, with all of the intervention families completing the trial,” says professor Rachael Bedford, head of the Queen Mary Child Development Lab and co-lead on the project, in a release. “However, further work is needed to understand how the varied ways in which families use screen media may influence these effects.”
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