Watching nightime TV hurts kids' sleep

BEIJING. July 3. KAZINFORM If your preschooler can't sleep - turn off the violence and nighttime TV.

According to Xinhuanet,that's the message in a new study that found sleep problems are more common in 3- to 5-year-olds who watch television after 7pm. Watching shows with violence - including kids' cartoons - also was tied to sleeping difficulties.

Watching nonviolent shows during the day didn't seem to be linked with sleep problems in the 617 youngsters studied.

The study builds on previous research linking media use with kids' sleep problems, and bolsters arguments for limiting screen time.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children up to age 2, and no more than two hours daily for older children. It urges doctors to ask parents at each checkup how much their children watch TV and whether kids have bedroom TVs, which the academy discourages.

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