The Implications of Screen Media Use for the Sleep Behavior of Children Ages 0–5: a Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

This literature review explores the impact of screen media consumption on the quality, quantity, regularity, and structure of sleep among children ages 0–5 years. Thirty-one studies were included for review. Screen media use was found to negatively impact young children’s sleep. Greater consumption of, access and exposure to, and engagement with screen media was associated with shorter nightly and total daily sleep duration, poorer sleep quality, later bed times and wake times, and longer sleep onset. Day time nap duration was inversely associated with screen media use, an outcome suggestive of delays in sleep consolidation. Extant research has established problematic relations between the young children’s screen media use and sleep behavior. Future research must work to better understand the impact of young children’s screen media’s use practices on their sleep and identify the mechanisms underpinning screen media’s relations to nap and sleep consolidation.