The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that kids who did not have a set bedtime scored higher when it comes to things like unhappiness, being inconsiderate and fighting.
Irregular bedtimes linked to behavioural problems in kids
And it is worth noting that those scores came not only from parent reports, but also from teachers of school-age kids, who rated the behavior of kids without regular bedtimes as more problematic.
According to the study’s lead researcher, Yvonne Kelly, putting kids to bed at 8pm one night and 10pm the next results in a kind of “social jet lag,” even if they’re getting the same hours of sleep.
“Without ever getting on a plane, a child’s bodily systems get shuffled through different time zones, and their circadian rhythms and hormonal systems take a hit as a result,” Kelly explains in an article she wrote for The Conversation.
In that article, Kelly explains that her team “did find an important piece of good news, too: those negative effects on behavior appeared to be reversible.”
So, when kids in the study switched from having irregular bedtimes to having a regular bedtime, their behaviour improved.
“This shows that it’s never too late to help children back onto a positive path, and a small change could make a big difference to how well they get on,” she explains.
Bedtimes also affect physical health
In a follow-up study, the researchers found that irregular bedtimes don’t just impact behavior, but can also put kids at risk for obesity and low-self esteem.
As well as the above, it seems later and/or irregular bedtimes have a very negative effect on children's math scores in school.
Regular bedtimes, on the other hand, can have a positive impact on a kid’s development, health and behavior.