R
runawaybunny
Guest
Kids' Late Night Texts, Games Could Lead to Attention, Mood Problems - US News
Texting, surfing the Web, and playing video games before bed could lead to attention and learning problems, anxiety, mood swings, and even depression, suggests a pilot study conducted at the Sleep Disorders Center at JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. Researchers surveyed 40 children*average age: 14 1/2all of whom were treated at the center for sleep problems, USA Today reports. The kids reported sending an average of 34 text messages or E-mails each night, and said they sent the texts between 10 minutes and four hours after parents said "lights out!" Texts or calls also awoke the kids an average of once a night. "These activities are not sleep-promoting, like reading a novel or listening to music," study author Peter Polos, a physician at the JFK center, told HealthDay. "They stimulate the brain and depress normal sleep cycles." Roughly half of the children's parents didn't know their kids were cuddling up to their favorite media; others knew, but thought, "This is the world we live in, what can you do?" Polos said.
While electronic media use can be harmful to children, its influence on kids isn't all bad, U.S. News contributor Nancy Shute reports. There are extraordinary things to see and share, and parents who make wise media choices for their family are also teaching their children to be savvy media consumers.
Texting, surfing the Web, and playing video games before bed could lead to attention and learning problems, anxiety, mood swings, and even depression, suggests a pilot study conducted at the Sleep Disorders Center at JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. Researchers surveyed 40 children*average age: 14 1/2all of whom were treated at the center for sleep problems, USA Today reports. The kids reported sending an average of 34 text messages or E-mails each night, and said they sent the texts between 10 minutes and four hours after parents said "lights out!" Texts or calls also awoke the kids an average of once a night. "These activities are not sleep-promoting, like reading a novel or listening to music," study author Peter Polos, a physician at the JFK center, told HealthDay. "They stimulate the brain and depress normal sleep cycles." Roughly half of the children's parents didn't know their kids were cuddling up to their favorite media; others knew, but thought, "This is the world we live in, what can you do?" Polos said.
While electronic media use can be harmful to children, its influence on kids isn't all bad, U.S. News contributor Nancy Shute reports. There are extraordinary things to see and share, and parents who make wise media choices for their family are also teaching their children to be savvy media consumers.
