If your child is now the proud owner of a snazzy new gadget thanks to Father Christmas, then it might be time to make sure that their favourite present isn’t going to result in interrupted sleep as they settle back into their school routine.

While many of us have banned laptops and televisions from our children’s bedrooms, it looks like us mums need to be more vigilant when it comes to our kid’s mini devices!

Research which was carried out at the University of California, Berkeley shows that children who attempted to sleep in the vicinity of a small screen actually slept for 20 minutes less than children who didn’t have access to their electronic devices during their nightly routine.

Jennifer Falbe, who was the lead author in the study, offers an insight into the findings, saying: “While any type of light can suppress melatonin release, blue light emitted from electronics has a stronger impact on melatonin release.”

Jennifer even suggests that smartphones and tablets may have an even worse impact on our children’s sleeping patterns than traditional media, so if you’re concerned about your child’s energy levels as they return to school this term then make sure they hand over all their gadgets before they turn in for the evening.

They'll thank you for it in the morning!

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