Experts at the University of Manchester are narrowing down the ideal bedtime routine for children aged two to eight years.
Psychologists have identified the optimal bedtime by recording various activities and routines of children over the course of a week. The study revealed that combining different activities, such as brushing teeth or reading a bedtime story, is of utmost importance, along with the benefits of talking to children. The researchers assigned scores to various activities performed by children before bedtime, such as 35 points for brushing teeth and 25 points for having a consistent bedtime each night. It was found that the most effective actions scored over 50 points.
In terms of ideal bedtime, it is notable that other highly scored nighttime activities included avoiding foods and drinks as well as watching television or using a phone before sleep. The researchers reported that groups are working on identifying the best approaches for children's bedtime, adding that if you partially complete one of your regular daily routine tasks but fail to do so on another night, you will lose points associated with that task.
Lead study author Dr. George Kitsaras stated, "Bedtime practices are important family activities and have significant impacts on children's well-being, growth, and health." He also mentioned that the new study takes into account parental pressures and challenges that may arise during bedtime while integrating the best practices and available scientific advice, indicating that this study provides expert and scientific guidance for the first time.
Additionally, a core list of bedtime activities was compiled by 59 experts, including psychologists, dentists, and public health specialists. Dr. Kitsaras emphasized, "All bedtime-related activities are crucial for children's development and well-being; among a wide range of bedtime activities, our experts considered tooth brushing to be the most important thing to remember every night."
There are strong links between inadequate oral hygiene practices and tooth decay in both children and adults. For children, early childhood cavities can lead to an increased risk of dental diseases later in life. In some cases, untreated childhood cavities can result in tooth extraction under general anesthesia, potentially causing additional problems for children and parents.
