If you have not already done so, please read Blog Posts 1 through 5 that describe how sleep is important and beneficial. I will post specific information for parents and children based on my book, “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.” Please do not be put off by my book’s length. This is a reference book. Read only the topic of interest to you.
In a 2024 study of 143 children, at birth, the mothers were randomized into two matched groups:
Home visits were performed at 3-4, 16, 28, and 40 weeks, followed by yearly clinic visits.
At age 6 years the children completed 2 behavioral tasks and wore actigraph sleep monitors for 3 days or more. Two behavioral assessments were recorded and scored by trained coders who were blind to study group assignments:
At 6 years of age, “children in the responsive parenting group exhibited greater prosocial and less antisocial behaviors compared with controls and parents reported greater use of structure and routines compared to controls…the regularity of sleep timing had a greater role in behavioral and emotional regulation than duration of sleep…”. The average bedtime in the two groups of children was not associated with the behavioral assessments.
“Inconsistent sleep timing [irregular bedtimes] could be an indicator of a lack of routine that the same set of behaviors are not being performed before bed every day. Leading to individuals going to bed earlier on some nights and later on others. Inconsistent routines may be more likely in a chaotic household which is linked to increased levels of behavioral problems..”
A 2002 study of 4- to 5-year-old children showed that variability in the bedtime predicted less optimal adjustment in preschool, even after controlling for family stress and family management practices.
