The Use Of Touch Devices Can Alter Your Children’s Sleep
According to a British study analyzing sleep habits in children, children who spend a lot of time playing with touch devices, such as smartphones or tablets, tend to have insomnia problems depending on the hours spent in front of the touch screen each day.
It should not be forgotten that these devices, which are often used to distract babies, can have numerous other effects on the baby’s health. Some research claims that these devices discourage curiosity, emotional bonds and awe for the world around them and all of this can lead children to be depressed without others noticing.
The researchers from Birkbeck, University of London, report that every hour spent in front of a touch screen, in a child represents 15 minutes less sleep, this implies that at night they will sleep less, but on the other hand they will tend to fall asleep during the day. developing an obvious sleep disorder.
In short, it is undeniable that for every positive side of technology there is always also a negative one. Regarding the use of devices such as smartphones and tablets it is impossible to hide their positive aspects even if paradoxically at the same time they distance children from interacting with others.
Too much technology can be distracting
As for babies in particular, there has been a lot of criticism of touch devices, which totally capture the attention of children. It is worrying to see how children become indifferent to the universe of imagination and lose that amazement that leads them to admire even the little things, which is the most beautiful gift of childhood.
Touch devices are the best pretext for evading or avoiding interaction with others and in children this tendency is even greater as the little ones tend to lose focus very easily. Excessive use of these devices inhibits children’s social skills.
When a child uses a technological device, his brain releases dopamine, the same satisfaction hormone that an adult would release. In practice, children soon become addicted to this sensation, which unfortunately they do not find in the daily stimuli.
Using touch devices has advantages and disadvantages
We’ve listed the dangers of using touch devices, but now let’s look at the other side of the coin. The experts, who interviewed 715 parents of children under the age of 3 for their research, argue that children who play with tactile devices easily develop basic motor skills from the first months of life.
The questions the researchers asked parents concerned how often their children played with their smartphones or tablets and their sleep habits. The responses received left Birkbeck’s specialists speechless.
Information provided by volunteer parents showed that 75% of children use a touch device every day, of which 51% are between the ages of 6 and 11 months, and analyzing children aged 25 and 36 months, the percentage rises even more, reaching 92%.
In general, it was possible to observe that every hour of using the touch device translated into about 15 minutes less sleep. In addition, the researchers suggested that parents put limits on the use of these types of devices, in order to prevent children from taking time away from sleep – which is very important – and other activities.
Scholars have also argued that when it comes to children’s development, every minute matters, and the hours of sleep are vitally important since in this phase of life development occurs precisely in moments of rest, i.e. when children are asleep.
“Anti-sleep” screens
The use of tactile devices, especially just before bed, reduces the presence of melatonin in the body, which is essential for achieving sleep. In fact, technological devices are considered destabilizers of the biological clock, especially in children.
The results of this study are obviously not definitive, but the researchers say with certainty that there are clear signs that touch devices are somehow linked to sleep disturbances in childhood, and other effects.
Although children seem focused while using touch devices, it is actually scientifically proven that they permanently distract them, making them lose interest in what is happening around them, also undermining their curiosity. The use of technological devices causes him a lack of attention, which is fundamental in the learning phase.
According to the specialists, the best thing would be to set very precise, clear and rigid rules on the amount of time that children can spend in front of a screen, taking care to avoid using these devices in the moments before sleep. .
