Researchers from University College London (UCL) analysed the ‘bedtime data’ of more than 10,000 children involved in the UK Millennium Cohort Study at three, five and seven years old.
Alongside the data, they also looked at reports on the children’s behaviour from their mothers and teachers.
They found that at the age of three, children were most likely to have irregular bedtimes, with around one in five going to bed at varying times.
However, the effects of erratic bedtimes on children’s behaviour built up over time.
According to the researchers, as children progressed through early childhood without a regular bedtime, their behavioural scores, which included hyperactivity, conduct problems, problems with peers and emotional difficulties, worsened.
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