By: By Cari Nierenberg, Contributing writer

Published: 10/14/2013 06:10 AM EDT on LiveScience


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[1] 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[2] 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. [10 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids[3] ]


The study is published online today (Oct. 14) in the journal Pediatrics.



Sleepy kids


In the study, researchers looked at data from more than 10,000 children enrolled in the Millennium Cohort Study, a long-term study of babies born in the U.K. in 2001 and 2002.


When children were ages 3, 5 and 7, their mothers filled out questionnaires describing whether the child went to sleep at a regular time on weeknights during the school year, and what that bedtime was.


In addition, mothers and teachers evaluated 7-year-olds' behavior, assessing their conduct, relationships with classmates[4] , emotional symptoms and hyperactivity levels.


Researchers found that almost 9 percent of the 7-year-olds lacked a regular bedtime.


Having an irregular sleep schedule had the greatest effect on a child's behavior, but kids with later bedtimes also tended to behave worse.


D'Ambrosio said the study findings strengthen the argument for a consistent bedtime for children because there were a large number of kids involved in the research, and their behavior was rated at three different ages.


For both kids and adults, "when people are sleep-deprived[5] , they are a little bit moodier, have a shorter temper and their normal physiological processes aren't as finely tuned," D'Ambrosio said.


"Kids don't say they're tired, they typically act it out -- most commonly by being hyperactive," she said. In fact, the study found that erratic bedtimes had the strongest influence on children's hyperactivity levels, as judged by their mothers and teachers.


A lack of sleep also shows up in a child's school performance, moodiness, eating habits and as behavioral issues, D'Ambrosio said.


Bedtime tips


Having nighttime routines and a regular bedtime adds structure and consistency to a child's schedule, D'Ambrosio said.


An enforced bedtime helps kids to function their best the next day, and to get a regular amount of sleep. Kids ages 5 to 7 need 10 to 12 hours a night, she said.


This means enough sleep to get through all stages of sleep, which have important functions that regulate the body: For example, deep sleep helps people to wake up feeling refreshed, while REM sleep helps to improve memory skills.


Sufficient shut-eye is also critical for children because their young brains are still developing.


D'Ambrosio advised parents to start the process of regular bedtimes early in a child's life. This process involves letting children know when bedtime is coming and beginning their nightly routines -- brushing teeth, bathing, putting on pajamas, reading a story, dimming lights and allowing children to have a comfort item, such as a stuffed animal but limiting stimulating distractions, including a TV or iPad.


"Pick a bedtime that works for you and your family," she recommended. "It may not work every night, but just keep trying."


D'Ambrosio also suggested that kids have consistent bedtime schedules, even on weekends and during the summer.


She is quick to remind parents that "sleep is one of the most important things you can do for a child's health and behavior."


Follow LiveScience @livescience , Facebook & Google+ . Original article on LiveScience .[6] [7] [8] [9]



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  • Lullabies


    Soothing music before bedtime can really do the trick. A 2005 study found that older people who listened to 45 minutes of soft tunes before hitting the hay reported a <a href="http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/nursing/news/news.asp?id=124" target="_hplink">35 percent improvement in their sleep problems</a>.

    But it doesn't have to be Brahms, if that's not your style. As long as the music was soft and slow -- around 60 to 80 beats per minute -- it can spur <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4228707.stm" target="_hplink">physical changes known to promote sleep</a>, like a slower heart rate and breathing, the BBC reported.

    "We know that when a person closes their eyes they induce a certain frequency of brain waves," says Decker. Slow music may have a similar effect, he surmises, leading to sleep onset.

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/llimaorosa/112246369/" target="_hplink">Llima</a></em>




  • Warm Milk


    It was once thought that a glass of warm milk at bedtime would help send you off to dreamland because of the tryptophan, <em>The New York Times</em> reported, but milk and other protein-rich foods actually <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/health/04real.html" target="_hplink">block tryptophan's sleepiness-inducing effects</a>. However, there might still be a psychological benefit to that warm milk, the <em>Times</em> concluded, calling it "as soothing as a favorite old blanket."

    "There have been some studies showing that when infants receive warm milk before bed, they'll dream a little bit more," says Decker, but the results don't hold true in adults. "It may be one of those myths that because it happens in children, adults think it may be true for them, too," he explains. However, many adults are actually at least slightly lactose intolerant, he says, meaning a warm mlik at bedtime may just lead to discomfort.

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julianrod/152930252/" target="_hplink">julianrod</a></em>




  • Counting Sheep


    If your goal is to bore yourself to sleep, you might try counting sheep, or counting backwards by multiples of three or any of a number of other counting-related mind-numbers. But a 2002 study found that <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11863237" target="_hplink">imagining a more relaxing scene might be more effective</a>.

    The study observed 41 people with insomnia over a number of nights and asked them to try a variety of different sleep-inducing techniques, like counting sheep.

    On the nights they were told to imagine relaxing scenes like a beach, a massage or a walk in the woods, <a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/53137" target="_hplink">they fell asleep an average of 20 minutes sooner</a> than on the nights they were told to count sheep or were given no instructions, Mental Floss reported.

    Decker agrees. "Counting sheep in and of itself may not help," but can act as a ritual that prepares us for sleep, making it not unlike meditation. Counting sheep -- or more relaxing guided imagery -- helps us "focus on something other than life's stressors," he says. "Thinking about a soothing environment may be more restful than the way you spent the last eight hours!"

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/narciss/3716241331/" target="_hplink">Kr. B.</a></em>




  • Breathing Exercises


    Focusing on the breath, whether it's as part of a pre-bed yoga sequence or just a tuned-in awareness, can also have meditation-like effects in preparing for bed, says Decker, like lowering the heart rate.

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/perfectoinsecto/2363255713/" target="_hplink">Perfecto Insecto</a></em>




  • Warm Bath


    Your body temp <a href="http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20189095,00.html" target="_hplink">dips about two hours before bedtime</a>, <em>Health </em>magazine reported, a natural change that "triggers our brain for sleep onset", says Decker. Soaking in a warm bath beforehand boosts your temperature temporarily, but results in a dramatic, rapid cooldown after you get out that relaxes you and eases you into sleep.

    It's not necessarily the bath that lulls you to sleep, it's that resulting cooling of your body temperature, Decker emphasizes. Research shows that people who take a warm bath before bed not only <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2578367" target="_hplink">fall asleep more quickly</a>, but also report better quality of sleep, he says.




  • Alcohol


    Many people swear by a drink to unwind at the end of the day, but alcohol before bed can actually <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/04/fourth-of-july-sleep_n_1644627.html#slide=1176662" target="_hplink">disrupt your sleep</a>. You'll be more likely to wake up more often in the early-morning hours, wake up and not be to fall back to sleep or have disturbing dreams. "As alcohol is metabolized by the liver, it has a disruptive effect," says Decker. It takes a few hours to metabolize, he says, so a drink with dinner shouldn't be a problem, but anything too close to bedtime can be counterproductive.

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rob-qld/2889139445/" target="_hplink">Rob Qld</a></em>




  • Get Out Of Bed


    It sounds crazy -- how will you ever get to sleep if you're not even in bed?! -- but it works, says Decker.

    "When a person stays in bed and they can't sleep, the bedroom can induce a certain level of anxiety," he says. "We say after 15 or 20 minutes, get out of bed, sit in another part of the house until you feel a little groggy, then go back to sleep," he says. "Staying in bed can condition you to become anxious in bed."

    A small 2011 study published in the <em>Archives of Internal Medicine</em> found that among the <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/27/cant-sleep-it-may-help-to-get-out-of-bed/" target="_hplink">adults studied who reported trouble sleeping</a>, those who spent <a href="http://www.thirdage.com/news/insomnia-cant-sleep-get-out-bed_1-26-2011 " target="_hplink">less time in bed had better sleeping habits</a>.

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/perfectoinsecto/3948115802/" target="_hplink">Perfecto Insecto</a></em>




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