Better Media Content May Help Kids’ Sleep

Avoiding violent TV or shows meant for older kids may improve sleep in preschoolers, a new study suggests. Nearly 600 families took part in the study. The children’s ages ranged from 3 to 5. Families were randomly divided into 2 groups. Both groups were asked questions about many things, including sleep and eating habits. One group received education about the best kinds of TV and other media for young children. They also got suggestions about suitable programs on channels available to them. Examples included Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street. They were encouraged to watch TV with their kids and talk about what they saw. The other group received education about healthy eating. Both groups kept sleep diaries for their children. They also received home visits and other follow-up. After a year, kids in the group who got education about TV had fewer sleep problems.