Study cell phones rob children of sleep

Robbed sleep: smartphones out of the nursery

11/01/2014

Mobile phones, tablets and Co. keep children from sleeping. And even more so than TV. The lack of sleep threatens further health problems such as lack of concentration and fatigue. Parents should set clear rules for their offspring.

Children are kept from sleeping
Through mobile phones, smartphones, tablets and Co., children are prevented from sleeping - even more so than through televisions. According to research by Jennifer Falbe of the University of California, Berkeley, adolescents who have such devices in the bedroom sleep 21 minutes shorter than their peers. For TV sets in the nursery, the kids were given only 18 minutes less sleep, according to the study. Therefore, according to experts, parents should already set clear rules for their offspring when purchasing a smartphone and ensure that the child no longer gets stressed by a cell phone.

Over 50 percent of children sleep near the smartphone
In the study, more than 2,000 students between the ages of nine and twelve were questioned by the scientists. 54 percent of the children said they were sleeping near their smartphone. Across from „Yahoo Parenting“ Study author Falbe warned: „These devices are particularly worrying as they open a door to social networks, videos, and other distractions, sending notifications that can interrupt sleep.“ Psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair explained „Yahoo Parenting“, why the TV in the bedroom is less dangerous than the smartphone: „We do not have the same emotional connection to the TV or the same expectations. We do not check emails or Instagram posts on our TV. When we watch TV, the intensity of the emotional response is very different.“

Health consequences
The researchers also suspect that the brightness of the small screens slows down the release of the hormone melatonin necessary for sleep more than that of televisions. The permanent lack of sleep can lead to serious health consequences in addition to concentration difficulties in school. For example, children who sleep too little for a prolonged period of time and are reluctant to move during the day due to their fatigue, for example, more often overweight or obesity.

Teenagers are too much online

In the opinion of many parents, smartphones and computers take a much too high priority in the lives of many children and adolescents. For example, a representative survey carried out by the opinion research institute Forsa on behalf of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) a few months ago revealed that half of the young people in Germany are, according to the parents, too much online. Many of them already show signs of online dependence. But other health consequences, such as back pain or headaches are increasingly found in the extreme surfers. (Ad)