You may want to rethink giving your kids smartphones, tablets or any other gadgets at a very early age. In an report by Times of India, it was revealed that Dr N Ramakrishnan, a director at Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences, has found mobile gadgets to be the culprits for depriving kids from having a good night's sleep.
Ramakrishnan shared in an interview: "Few realize how the mobile phone is disrupting children's sleep. It is used not just as a phone but also as a clock and to listen to music. They wake up to check the time or the alarm, which leads to them to browse the net. This fragments their sleep."
Ramakrishnan divulged that parents don't even realize the sleep deprivation their kids are having until symptoms arise. These symptoms include, but, are not limited to daytime drowsiness, low concentration levels, fatigue, and mood swings.
These new findings come in coincidence as the Apple Watch and iPhone 7 are set for an upcoming market release soon.
Macrumors.com revealed that Apple stores are now offering customers to try on Apple watches prior to making a purchase. Meanwhile, Bgr.com revealed that there are rumors saying that there Apple is cooking not one, not two, but three iPhone models set to be released this year. While Apple devices are popular for being innovative, easy to use, simple yet on-point, and ahead of its competitors, parents should also be keen if they see their children excessively using electronic gadgets to the point where they compromise the numbers of hours they sleep in at night.
Aside from failing to limit children's usage of electronic devices, Dr S Balasubramanian, a senior paediatrician at Kanchi Kamakoti Child's Trust Hospital, said that parents' own sleep cycle is another factor that might adversely affect kids' sleep patterns. Balasubramanian told Times of India, "Many of the children I have seen are those who stay awake late till their parents come back from work. These children wake up early in the morning to leave for school. In the process, they compromise on the eight to nine hours of sleep they need."
Technology makes daily tasks a whole lot easier especially for busy adults and many of today's gadgets help fulfill those tasks but parents of children twelve and below must also realize that these gadgets can also be the villain that prevents your child from sleeping soundly and peacefully at night.
