Research Highlighting Healthy Sleep Habits in Children Presented at a Congress

In World Health Organization (WHO)-supported Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) studies, it has been reported that social media use has increased while sleep duration has decreased and sleep difficulties have become more prevalent. The study highlighted that sleep problems are increasingly observed in childhood as a consequence of digital addiction and emphasized the role of bedtime routines, a key component of sleep hygiene, in children’s healthy development. The research analyzed data obtained from the mothers of 205 typically developing children aged 3–6 years, examining the relationship between children’s bedtime routines and the sociodemographic characteristics of families.

According to the findings, being under 35 years of age, having at least a high school education, a household size of four or fewer, the child having their own room, and maintaining a regular bedtime were identified as factors positively influencing bedtime routines. In addition, children who slept alone in their own room were found to have higher bedtime routine scores.

The study emphasized that consistent and structured pre-sleep routines facilitate children’s transition to sleep and are associated with earlier bedtime, shorter sleep onset latency, fewer night awakenings, and longer total sleep duration.

Ciğer, who presented the study, stated that educational and awareness programs for parents play an important role in helping children develop healthy sleep habits. It was also noted that the findings may contribute to the planning of intervention programs aimed at improving sleep health in children.