How Screen Time Can Affect Your Child’s Sleep – Happy Linen Company
- Liaura App
- Sep 2
- 2 min read
Have you ever tucked your little one into bed, only to find them wide-eyed after a bit of tablet time or a quick scroll on your phone? You’re not alone! Screens have crept into almost every part of family life, and while they’re brilliant for learning and fun, they can sometimes disrupt children’s sleep and bedtime routines.
In this guest blog from our fellow sleep experts at Happy Linen Company, we explore how screen time can affect your child’s sleep and share simple steps to help.
How does screen time affect children’s sleep?
Sometimes your kids are just too engrossed in whatever they are watching or playing to want to switch off – but it’s not just that. Screens can actually make falling asleep harder in a couple of different ways:
Blue light and sleep don’t mix well; these blue wavelengths (which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood) seem to be the most disruptive at night. This is because it strongly suppresses melatonin, more so than other coloured lights.[1] In other words, it’s basically telling your child’s brain, “Stay awake, it’s daytime!”
Emotions get stirred up. Using a screen may affect the quality of your child’s sleep, as it can make them more alert. Think about your child playing an action-packed video game or watching an action movie late at night – their heart rate will be racing, and this, in turn, can make it harder for them to fall asleep.
“Each additional hour of screen time was associated with only 3-8 fewer minutes of sleep per night in children.” - University of Oxford, 2018
Signs screen time is affecting your child’s sleep
Every child and every family has different experiences when it comes to daily life, routines, and bedtimes. It’s difficult to categorise everyone into the same box; however, there are a few things to look out for in your children.
Are they often struggling to fall asleep or waking up frequently in the middle of the night? Do they find it difficult to get up in the morning, or do they feel extra tired and cranky throughout the day?
It could be that screen time before bed is affecting their sleep more than you realise. It’s worth making a few changes to your family routine to help improve their energy levels.
Steps for healthier sleep habits
This can be done through simple changes such as turning screens off just 30 minutes earlier, reading in bed, or doing a calming activity such as colouring. These small adjustments can help develop healthy sleep habits for children.
Additionally, using soft lighting in the bedroom and keeping devices out of the bedroom can help signal that it’s time to sleep.
We can’t avoid the fact that screens are part of modern life. The key is not to ban screens completely but to find a healthy balance, especially around bedtime, to support better sleep for children.
