Children who play video games are more likely to experience difficulty falling asleep than those who avoid them1.
This, combined with insight from the Sleep Foundation which highlights the negative impact prolonged sleep loss can have on a teen’s emotional development² means parents of game-loving teens may quickly be concerned about their child’s sleep quality.
To help parents encourage healthy sleep habits, Dr. Hana Patel, resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep, explains why allowing children to play games in their bedrooms may be detrimental to their sleep health.
Why you should banish bedroom gaming
Dr. Patel explains:
“Try to avoid allowing video games in the bedroom if you can, as this can cause the brain to associate sleeping areas with pleasure rather than rest. This means that every time your child enters their bedroom their brain primes itself for stimulating activities, making it harder for them to fall asleep. Instead, keep computers and other devices in communal areas only, such as living or office spaces.”
The effects of prolonged single night session of videogaming on sleep and declarative memory
