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Benefits of a bedtime routine in young children: Sleep, development, and beyond

Jodi A Mindell1, Ariel A Williamson2

  • 1Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sleep Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Sleep Medicine Reviews
|December 3, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Establishing a nightly bedtime routine is crucial for healthy sleep and overall early childhood development. This practice supports language, emotional regulation, and family bonding, especially for at-risk children.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • Nightly bedtime routines are recognized as vital for healthy sleep in early childhood.
  • Such routines provide nurturing care and stimulation, essential for positive child development, particularly for vulnerable populations.
  • Components of bedtime routines offer benefits extending beyond sleep, impacting various developmental domains.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a conceptual model for nightly bedtime routines.
  • To review empirical evidence supporting bedtime routines' role in child development and wellbeing.
  • To highlight the multifaceted benefits of bedtime routines for children and families.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual modeling of bedtime routines.
  • Systematic review of empirical evidence on bedtime routine components and outcomes.
  • Analysis of developmental domains influenced by routine activities (nutrition, hygiene, communication, physical contact).

Main Results:

  • Bedtime routines promote healthy sleep and broad early childhood development.
  • Routine components like reading, hygiene, and physical contact are linked to improved language, emotional regulation, and parent-child attachment.
  • These routines offer significant benefits for family functioning and are particularly impactful for at-risk children.

Conclusions:

  • Nightly bedtime routines are a feasible and cost-effective intervention for promoting positive early childhood development.
  • Promoting bedtime routines can enhance sleep, cognitive, emotional, and social development globally.
  • Further research is needed to explore specific routine-related outcomes and mechanisms of action.

Keywords:
BedtimeFamilyHygieneInfancyLiteracyNutritionPreschoolRoutineSleepToddler

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