‘Better sleep, less screen time can reduce impulsivity in kids’

Impulsivity is also a core component of disorders like ADHD, eating disorders, substance abuse and other behavioural disorders. If the child struggles with depression, impulsivity can increase pose greater risk to his or her safety.

Is your child’s behaviour erratic? It could be controlled by reduced screen time and a good night’s sleep, as per a study.

Published in Pediatrics, the study by Canadian researchers concluded that children from five to 13 years old should spend no more than two hours per day in front of the screen, and should get nine to 11 months of sleep every night. Besides, they should spend a minimum of 60 minutes in physical activity.

Being impulsive can have both negative and positive associations but it can be a serious issue when people are unable to delay gratification or think about long-term consequences.

Impulsivity is also a core component of disorders like ADHD, eating disorders, substance abuse and other behavioural disorders. If the child struggles with depression, impulsivity can pose greater risk to his or her safety.

While studies on the impact of screen time on physical and mental health, and the effects of sleep on hyperactivity and impulsiveness have been studied individually, they had not been looked at together.

The data that researchers used was from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a large-scale study that looks at biological and environmental factors on children moving into and through adolescence.

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