A groundbreaking randomized controlled trial (RCT) focused on screen time for toddlers reveals that eliminating screen exposure in the hour leading up to bedtime enhances the quality of sleep for toddlers.
It is well-established that inadequate sleep during early childhood can lead to various adverse outcomes, including health issues, developmental challenges, and behavioral problems.
The Bedtime Boost study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, marks the first RCT that supports pediatric recommendations to reduce toddlers’ screen time before sleeping.
Researchers from the University of Bath, University of the Arts London (UAL), Birkbeck, Queen Mary University of London, and King’s College London enlisted families with toddlers aged 16 to 30 months from different areas of London.
A total of 105 families, who already allowed their children to use screens before bed, were randomly divided into two groups: the intervention, where parents were instructed to eliminate all screen exposure in the hour prior to bedtime and instead engage in non-screen activities like calming play, reading, or puzzles using a Bedtime Box over a period of seven weeks; and the control group, which maintained similar activities without addressing screen time. Toddler sleep patterns were monitored before and after the intervention with a wearable motion tracker.
Parents in the intervention group were effective in eliminating screen time for their toddlers before sleep, resulting in improved sleep quality characterized by more restorative nighttime rest and fewer awakenings.
Professor Rachael Bedford, who led the research at the University of Bath and now heads the Queen Mary Child Development Lab, stated:
“We collaborated closely with parents and early years professionals to make the Bedtime Boost intervention cost-effective and easy to follow. The results indicate that the trial was very manageable for parents, with all participating families completing it successfully. Nevertheless, additional research is essential to explore how the different ways families engage with screen media might affect these outcomes.”
Study leader Professor Tim Smith from the UAL Creative Computing Institute remarked:
“Earlier correlational research has demonstrated that increased screen time is associated with poorer sleep in toddlers, but it was unclear whether screen use was the cause of sleep issues or the other way around. The Bedtime Boost study offers initial evidence that cutting down on screen time before bed may improve sleep quality for toddlers. Further studies are needed to validate these findings across a broader range of families.”
The intervention was jointly designed with input from families and early-childhood experts, including members from the Early Years Alliance, National Childbirth Trust, The Sleep Charity, and staff from children’s centers, ensuring that the approach was as inclusive as possible.
