**Bedtime routines can be a blessing for parents of young children, but new research suggests it’s important to be mindful of what time you put your little ones to bed.**
Anew study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that children who go to bed very late or very early may be at an increased risk for heart disease later in life.
The study included data from over 80,000 children in the UK. Researchers tracked the children’s sleep habits from age 3 to 7 and then followed up with them at age 11 to 12 to assess their heart health.
They found that children who went to bed after 9 pm or before 7 pm were more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other risk factors for heart disease compared to children who went to bed between 8 pm and 9 pm.
The researchers say that their findings suggest that parents should aim to put their children to bed between 8 pm and 9 pm. They also say that it’s important to avoid letting children stay up late on weekends or during school holidays.
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