Bedtime study a wake-up call

SETTING a strict deadline is the most effective way to make sure children get the best sleep, researchers have found.

Simply “encouraging” youngsters to go to bed might lead to fewer tantrums, but it means they get less slumber than they need. A Canadian study of more than 1600 parents found children simply urged to go to bed were 71 per cent less likely to get ample shut-eye. Those with specific bedtimes were 59 per cent more likely to get the best sleep quality.

Sleep deprivation seemed to rise as parents became less involved in bedtimes, with 15year-olds worst affected.