Kellan has never been the perfect sleeper. He goes to sleep well enough, but he often wakes up in the middle of the night and needs help falling back asleep. So a recent study about sleep issues in preschoolers caught my attention.

The study of 600 children between the ages of three and five found a link to viewing media at night and sleep problems. Researchers also found that viewing during the day did not affect sleep quality, but violent content did. The part about viewing violent content won't surprise parents. What's interesting about the study is that time of day has a connection to sleeping problems.

We almost exclusively watch kids movies or TV shows on DVD or streaming on our computers because we can watch when it's convenient. We closely monitor what Kellan watches, but we didn't know watching in the evening could affect his sleep. What I have noticed is that even if there isn't anything overtly frightening in a TV show or movie, there are situations that can cause anxiety so we try to avoid that.

This study is another useful reminder to parents that we should always be aware of what and how our children view media.  What kind of rules do you have about watching TV or videos?