The Cost of Staying Up Late: Screens and Extracurricular Activities Steal Children's Brain Rest - A U.S. Study Reveals a Harsh Reality of 14.7%

The Independent reported on the reality that elementary school children in the United States are not meeting the recommended sleep duration. A new study from Brown University (Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2025/9/22) measured 102 children aged 6 to 10 in Rhode Island with actigraphy over one week, revealing that only 14.7% met the guidelines (9 to 12 hours for ages 6 to 12). Meanwhile, 83.3% of parents believed that their children were getting enough sleep. This highlights a significant gap between "parental perception" and "objective measurement." National data from the CDC also shows that more than one in three children aged 4 months to 14 years had insufficient sleep during 2020–2021, with disparities across states and racial/ethnic groups. The study points out that parents tend to underestimate the "invisible nights," where it is difficult to grasp sleep onset latency and nocturnal awakenings. The solutions are simple: consistent bedtime routines, limiting screen time before bed, and reassessing overly packed extracurricular schedules. On social media, the research announcement on X garnered surprise and agreement, with notable comments such as **"Remove devices from bedrooms"** and **"School start times should be reconsidered."** The key is for parents to "visualize" how many hours and the quality of sleep their children are getting, and to protect sleep within the overall lifestyle.