新奇事件簿 睡前看视频对儿童睡眠不利（在线收听）

New research shows that it is bad for children to watch TV, tablet or mobile phone screens before bedtime. Researchers from the University of Colorado found that "screen time" before sleeping damages children's health. The researchers looked at over 60 different studies on how screen time affects children. They said: "Of more than five dozen studies looking at children aged from 5 to 17 around the world, 90 per cent have found that more screen time is associated with delayed bedtime, fewer hours of sleep, and poorer sleep quality." Screens are becoming smaller and smaller, so children can look at them in bed. More than 75 per cent of children in the study had some kind of screen in their bedroom.

新的研究表明，睡前看电视，平板电脑或手机屏幕对孩子不利。来自科罗拉多大学的研究人员发现，睡前观看电子屏幕损害孩子的健康。研究人员查看了关于睡前玩电子设备对儿童影响的60多份不同研究。他们说：“在60多份查看世界各地5岁到17岁儿童的研究中，90%的研究发现，玩电子设备意味着睡觉时间延迟，睡眠时长减少，睡眠质量变差。”屏幕越来越小，孩子们可以在床上看。研究中75%的儿童卧室里有某种类型的电子屏幕。

Children need a lot more sleep than adults. Pre-school children need 10 to 13 hours, pre-teens should get between nine and 12 hours, and teenagers should be getting between eight and 10 hours a night. The researchers highlighted three main reasons how screens affect children's sleep. First, the light from screens upsets a child's body clock. The light from screens getting into children's eyes before they sleep tricks their body into thinking it is still daytime. Second, children often watch videos of things that excite them or interest them. This keeps their brain active, so they take longer to sleep. Finally, when children are watching screens, they are not exercising. Children need physical activity to make them tired.

儿童需要的睡眠时间比成年人更多。学前儿童需要10至13个小时的睡眠，青春期前的儿童需要9至12个小时，青少年需要8至10小时的睡眠。研究人员强调了电子屏幕影响儿童睡眠的三个主要原因。首先，屏幕的光线扰乱了儿童的生物钟。睡前从电子屏幕射入孩子眼睛的光线会让身体误以为仍然是白天。第二，孩子们观看的视频通常会让他们激动，或兴趣盎然。这让他们的大脑保持活跃，所以需要更长时间才能入睡。最后，当孩子们观看电子屏幕的时候，他们就不会锻炼。儿童需要体育活动才能感到疲倦。