Toddlers need to sleep as much as they do, nor less neither more. The little growing organism should recharge during over the sleep period, but gadgets and their touchscreens are just ‘stealing’ the precious minutes of toddlers’ sleep daily dose. The report by Birbeck University of London reveal the details of this study.
Toddlers are very vulnerable, especially their nerve system and brain, that’s why little kids really need their sleep. Toddlers who use touchscreens sleep less, say study co-author Dr Tim Smith. According to the British researchers, the toddlers between six and 11 months who play with tablets get slightly less sleep than those who don’t.
The study covered 715 parents, every hour of touchscreen use results in 15.6 minutes less of sleep, or 26.4 minutes less total per night and 10.8 minutes more during the day, on average. Dr Smith explains:
“It isn’t a massive amount when you’re sleeping 10-12 hours a day in total, but every minute matters in young development because of the benefits of sleep”.
The study results are interesting but at the same time, The American Pediatricians Association noted that touchscreen gadgets have a positive impact, too. They help accelerate a toddler’s motor development compared to infants who don’t use them.
Despite these new theories, it’s too early to make clear proclamations, says Dr Smith from the Birbeck University of London. Probably, the well-balanced day with sleep pauses helps little kids to discover the world and to develop themselves, with the gadgets or without them.
