TV Could Be Disrupting Your Kid's Sleep

"I do tell parents it is good to limit the amount of TV during the day to less than two hours of screen time, including TV, computer, video games," she said.

"And don't use TV as a go-to-sleep aid," Maynard advised. That holds true even for high schoolers, she added.

Maynard said she understood why the parents of younger children might be tempted to park their kids in front of the TV right before bedtime. "It gets them to stay in one place. But it's not [helping them in] making changes the brain needs to make to the transition to sleep. And it may make it worse. The visual stimulation amps them up."

"I think of it as going to the state fair," Maynard tells parents when advising them not to let their children watch TV before bed. "You are on the midway, with all the lights and the noise. Walking away from that, I don't know how many people are relaxed."

Are you struggling with a young child who's troubled by troubled sleep? The National Institutes of Health offers these suggestions:

Set a regular time for bed each night and stick to it.Establish a relaxing bedtime routine, such as giving your child a warm bath or reading him or her a story.Make after-dinner playtime a relaxing time. Too much activity close to bedtime can keep children awake. Avoid feeding children big meals close to bedtime. Avoid giving children anything with caffeine less than six hours before bedtime.Set the bedroom temperature so that it's comfortable -- not too warm and not too cold.Make sure the bedroom is dark. If necessary, use a small nightlight.Keep the noise level low.

More information

To learn more about sleep and children, visit the National Sleep Foundation.

SOURCES: Dimitri Christakis, M.D., M.P.H., professor, pediatrics, and director, Child Health Institute, University of Washington, Seattle; Nancy Maynard, M.D., pediatrician, Great Falls Clinic, Great Falls, Mont.