X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Here’s Why an Early Bedtime for Kids is Good for You Too!

3 min read
Here’s Why an Early Bedtime for Kids is Good for You Too!

If you are tired and frazzled most days and your kids have a late bedtime, you might be surprised to find out there is a connection between the two...

My kids (ages 4 and 6) are in bed by 6.30pm and are fast asleep by 7pm. When I mention this to people, I’m usually amused by the range of reactions I get.

Some express envy and admiration (“wow, how do you do that, I’m so jealous”) while others can’t understand the logic (“that’s way too early! Why would you do that?”). My reasons involve both my kids’ and my own wellbeing.

Long before I learned about the research that informs this article (we’ll get into that in a bit), I knew that early bedtime was good for my children and instinctively knew it was good for me too.

With the children, it’s a no-brainer. Plenty of studies prove that getting adequate sleep is crucial for kids’ mental and physiological development.

According to SingHealth: “In toddlers, sleep requirement decreases to between 12 to 13 hours. Pre-schoolers need to sleep between 11 to 12 hours, and school-going children between 10 to 11 hours. Adolescents require about 9 hours of sleep.”

Now, there’s yet another compelling reason why early bedtime for kids is good — new research shows that putting kids to bed early is really good for the mental health of mums!

early bedtime for kids

Here’s a guide that shows around what time kids of different ages should be going to sleep. Of course, we do understand that these times may not be ideal given that some older kids have extra curricular activities until late. Still, the health benefits of adequate sleep for kids of all ages are unarguable. (Image from Wilson Elementary School Facebook page.)

The study

As part of the Growing Up in Australia study conducted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, researchers interviewed parents of kids who were 4 to 5 years old, and spoke to them again two years later.

They discovered that kids with earlier bedtimes* had “better health-related quality of life”. And what’s really interesting is that these kids’ mums had improved mental health.

It makes sense

When you think about it, the correlation between early bedtime for kids and better mental health for mums certainly makes sense.

It means that mums too get the chance to relax and get some much-needed rest themselves, keeping in mind that studies show irregular bedtimes may be linked to cognitive issues and mood swings among other issues.

Personally, when my little ones are tucked in bed and fast asleep, my ‘me-time’ begins. I have the time to cook a quick and healthy meal for myself and my husband, which we sit down and enjoy together. I write. I read.

Sometimes I watch a movie with my husband. Other times we sneak out for a date or movie night (of course, with my trusty helper watching the kids). I believe this personal space helps me wind down and be a better mum (and better person).

Confirming all this is Seattle paediatrician Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson who reiterates that sleep is certainly linked to our mental health and our mood.

She says, “When we think about mom, it makes a lot of sense to me that if kids are early to bed, mom is going to wind down, get things done, and feel like things are under control.

“There is no question that consistency and prioritization of sleep is going to make your life better.”

*It didn’t matter how many hours the children actually slept but only that they went to bed early.

What time do your kids go to sleep? Do you agree that early bedtime for kids is better for you too? Share your thoughts in a comment below. 

Partner Stories
Great ideas for gifts for Chinese New Year 2023!
Great ideas for gifts for Chinese New Year 2023!
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
Korean Stars Take Center Stage at Disney Content Showcase in Singapore
Korean Stars Take Center Stage at Disney Content Showcase in Singapore
Health is Your Greatest Wealth. Learn How Your CPF Savings Can Safeguard Your Healthcare Needs and Provide Peace of Mind
Health is Your Greatest Wealth. Learn How Your CPF Savings Can Safeguard Your Healthcare Needs and Provide Peace of Mind

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Nalika Unantenne

  • Home
  • /
  • Ages & Stages
  • /
  • Here’s Why an Early Bedtime for Kids is Good for You Too!
Share:
  • Learn The Many Benefits Of An Early Bedtime For Your Kids

    Learn The Many Benefits Of An Early Bedtime For Your Kids

  • Get Rid Of Sleep Deprivation With These 5 Simple Tips

    Get Rid Of Sleep Deprivation With These 5 Simple Tips

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

  • ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

    ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

  • Learn The Many Benefits Of An Early Bedtime For Your Kids

    Learn The Many Benefits Of An Early Bedtime For Your Kids

  • Get Rid Of Sleep Deprivation With These 5 Simple Tips

    Get Rid Of Sleep Deprivation With These 5 Simple Tips

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

  • ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

    ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.