The Secret to a Well-Behaved Child: Regular Bedtime

[xdivision_whitey]

Young children who don't have a regular bedtime behave worse than kids who go to sleep at the same time each night, a new study suggests.


British researchers found that both mothers and teachers rated 7-year-olds who had inconsistent bedtimes as being more hyperactive than their better-rested peers, and as having more social, emotional and conduct problems.

The results also revealed that behavior grew worse the more years a child spent without a firm bedtime. But the good news is that children's behavior noticeably improved when they switched to a scheduled bedtime.

"This is a very well-done study that in many ways reaffirms what we already know about a lack of sleep," said Dr. Carolyn D'Ambrosio, director of the sleep center at Tufts Medical Center and the Floating Hospital for Children in Boston, who was not involved in the research.

She said the findings clearly show an association between kids behaving better and a regular bedtime.

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[PantheaMarlon]

I can believe this.

[emi desu]

It's true for me too. ninja When I stay up late and have random bedtimes, I get grumpy and generally depressed. 10 pm bedtime and 8 am awake tends to even out my moods. Believable!

[NyleveSivad]

that makes perfect since to me. its about structure to though as well as rest. kids need structure to function just as they need sleep.

[Yuki_Windira]

That explains some things.x-x;

[final_wolf]

Good to know. We already put my 2 1/2 month daughter to bed at 8pm every night

[Entropic Marionetta]

My mom just gave me an a**-whooping and sent me to bed.

[Destined Savior]

When I was little, I always had a 9 pm bed time for school and such. This makes total sense for kids.

[Honey of the South]

My sisters and I always had to be in bed by ten, if I'm remembering right. Doesn't mean I always slept. Even as a kid I had problems with insomnia, which also happened to be a side-effect of the ADHD meds I had to take as a kid.

[Ratttking]

Entropic Marionetta

My mom just gave me an a**-whooping and sent me to bed.

But was the a**-whooping at a regularly scheduled time every night? cat_mrgreen

[Asagrim]

I have a highly irregular sleep schedule and I hate everything and anything, from kittens to puppies to America to England to grass to clouds.

So I agree with this.

[David2074]

I've heard similar before and it makes sense.
Also, I wonder how much is 'regular bedtime' and how much is 'adequate sleep'. Because let's face it, kids that don't have a regular bedtime and are just going to bed when they feel like it or when their parents get tired of them are probably also not getting enough hours of sleep. Most kids still have to get up in the morning for school no matter what time they went to bed.

[Lupa Fangs]

I am struggling with this right now. Becuase of my childhood and erratic sleeping times it's affecting my adult life big time. When you are never on a sleeping scheduled you never do it even as you become aware. Now that it's really affecting me as an adult I'm having a hard time with it.

I love my dad, but like spanking and yelling at me this is one of the things that he did to me and my sister. We would be in in bed and he would wake us when we got home. I understand he might have wanted to see his family after work, but come on. He continued this on through my young adult life. Just watch this movie with me... and yeah. You can see where that lead. School finals didn't help either. Working all day and all night literally.

Maybe my dad wouldn't of had to get the belt, switch, paddle, or hands on my bum when I was little if he wouldn't have woken me. Idiot.

I love my dad, but I hated a lot of things that he did. And now that I am an adult I'm completely aware of how those things have affected me and are still affecting me. The trouble is I'm having a hard time fixing it even if I am aware.

[Rinlover]

I see this article and agree with it. When I was in high school and when my mom made my bedtime ten instead of nine, my grades plummeted. It was odd.

YEAH FOR BEING SMART!

[You make Mii ink]

Entropic Marionetta

My mom just gave me an a**-whooping and sent me to bed.

same here. LOL