Reasons why you should kick the TV out of your room

Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:40PM EDT

See Comments (105)

Raise your hand if you have a television in the bedroom? How about the kids' bedroom? It's not hard to put a television in every room, especially if you keep upgrading to sleeker, flatter, sharper television sets. I don't have kids, yet I have three televisions in the house, and yes, I have the obligatory flat-panel display in the bedroom because I'm a news junkie who likes to watch CNN in the morning.

It seems to me that lately, researchers are focusing on the effects of having a television set in the bedroom. In a nutshell, having a TV in your sleep sanctuary is bad, very bad, but we already knew that. I guess what we may not have known is how bad it really is, especially when it's in the kid's room. So to bring you up to speed, I've gathered the latest findings hoping to shed some light on this bad habit.

New York Times and IO9 have good articles on the subject so I'll start there. Here's what they say in a nutshell:

TV makes you dumb: In a 2005 study of six Northern California schools, 70 percent of students who had their own TV scored "significantly and consistently" lower on math, reading, and language-arts tests. Those who had computers scored higher. It's believed the TV is a distraction during homework and may interfere with sleep. Seventh graders in Montreal also had the same problem. Those who spent more time in front of the TV, had lower grades. No surprise there.

TV makes you overweight: Several studies have suggested that kids with TVs in their bedroom are likely to be overweight. In a two-year study by the The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, researchers found that kids snacked less when a device (I'm assuming BOB) was programmed to cut into the child's TV viewing time. Kids weren't inspired to exercise more, they just ate less calories a day. A French study found that boys with TVs in their bedroom were more likely to gain weight.

TV makes you a smoker: Yet, another study of 700 middle-school students between 12 and 14 years old, found that kids with TVs were twice as likely to start smoking. Of those surveyed, 42 percent who smoked had a TV in their bedroom.

TV messes up your sleeping patterns: Ok, so all the above figures have been for kids, but adults are also affected by bedroom TVs. Blog IO9, found a survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey (ATUS) shows that late night TV watching can control a person's sleeping patterns. Once upon a time, the day and night cycle determined our sleeping patterns, but with modern technology, mainly that television in the room, people's sleeping patterns are getting worse. Those most vulnerable to TV-timed sleep changes are people who work in services sectors like education, health, leisure, and hospitality, and people who live in the Eastern time zone.

There you have it. A few more reasons to kick that bedroom TV out.

Related:

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Teens spending 30, 40, even 50 each week in front of screens

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Comments on Reasons why you should kick the TV out of your room

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  • 46 Posted by akaeka@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    Are you freaking kidding me! My kids all have tv's in their bedrooms. My 4 year old is so smart it scares me. Where did he learn to become so smart? From watching educational shows that can be found on PBS or hey he even learns a lot from Barney and Dora. Yes my husband and I tought him a lot too, But Sesame Street, Barney, and Dora made it more fun for him..And as far as MY KIDS BECOMING SMOKERS because they have a TV. Come on get real and leave smoking out of this. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!

  • 47 Posted by kelly19812643@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    THAT IS THE MOST STUPIDEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!!!! I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND ALL OF THEM HAVE A TV IN THEIR ROOMS...THEY ARE NOT OVERWEIGHT AND THEY THINK SMOKING IS REALLY REALLY BAD...I DON'T KNOW WHERE PEOPLE GET THEIR STUDIES FROM....MAYBE THE PEOPLE WHO STUDY THIS STUFF ARE THIS WAY HOWEVER YOU CANNOT SAY THAT TV CAUSES YOU TO BE OVERWEIGHT AND A STUPID SMOKER....MY CHILDREN ARE PERFECT STUDENTS AND THEY LIVE A VERY HEALTHY LIFE STYLE....YEA MAYBE SOME FAMILIES ARE LESS FORTUNATE AND HAVE THAT PROBLEM HOWEVER YOU CANNOT BLAIM IT ON TV BEING IN THE ROOM....I JUST DON'T GET IT....DID YOU GET THAT STUDY FROM TV? SORRY BUT I THINK YOU ARE TOTALLY WRONG!!!!LATER

  • 49 Posted by djchrysys on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    to blame an object for what a thinking person does is stupid you have the choice and where do they get the info they base these "studies" on TV's are so common now every house has many in it. So to say such a common object is too blame is foolish what did we blame 20 years ago when a house was lucky to have one tv, quit blaming every one and every thing for a persons lack of being able to make a smart choice and dont look to the world and government to make the choice for you be responsible for your own actions grow up people realize YOU CAN THINK FOR YOURSELF.

  • 50 Posted by wiedel5@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think that this is a great subject to bring up because it can be a wake-up call for many of millions of americans that are overweight and/or picked up many bad habits.And most importantly,for those who might pick up those bad habits soon.I myself have a lazy neighbor who should read this article and maybe he will become more active.

  • 51 Posted by arubit@swbell.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:58PM EDT Report Abuse

    Studies, based on the information provided by the article, are filled with fallacies. The major fallacy is that there is not enough information to support the conclusion that television is the cause of the issues that were stated. Pure correlation does not prove cause and effect. For instance, there are many factors left out of the information provided that links the television to intelligence deficiencies, obesity, or smoking. Excluding parental involvement and other factors from the studies outlines the fallacies; thus, the article is based on a slippery-slope of data. I have a daughter who is in the fourth grade and she is an honor roll student while taking advanced classes doing sixth grade work. This child has a television in her room; however, my wife and I are heavily involved in my daughter%

  • 52 Posted by vicd411@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    Are these things supposed to make you go hmmmmmmm?....Wow, I'm so impressed. A note to those that are probably just trying to say something but can't, there is no need to be condescending or kick people while they're down by critizicing their economic and/or social fate. Some people do what they do because they just simply want to, others because they are just a product of the environment they grew up in or still remain in.

  • 53 Posted by holycharizard@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    Everyone knows that KIDS score LOW on their Standardized Tests b/c of POOR INSTRUCTION received from TEACHERS! All the teachers just sit behind the desk and give out worksheets...You teachers reading this KNOW I'm right! There is virtually NO instruction time, at least QUALITY! Take roll, pass the WS out, then sit behind the desk. How can a student be expected to score even AVERAGE when the teacher will NOT teach...Knowledge-based learning! Yeah, that's the ticket!

  • 54 Posted by jr9664@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hogwash nonsense and falteral. Have had a tv in the bedroom for some time now. I find it conducive to sleep. Especially watching comedy central before bed. Laugh your way to some good zzzzzs.

  • 55 Posted by armdorais@snet.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    this is a lot of baloney,my son has a tv in his room,and he is one of the highest students in school,and is not overweight,and does not smoke,i would think it would happen if people use it as a babysitter no matte what backround they come from

  • 56 Posted by donniedpd@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    i have a tv and a computer and im fine an most kids with a computer dont do some homework on it but its worse than a tv u can wach tv on the computer and theres games,porn,and more so just becaus u have a computer doesent mean ur test scors will be higher and the pc can be a bigger distraction it just has more to do on it.

  • 57 Posted by adonerite@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    My daugter is seven. She has a T.v. in her room. I do not see this affecting her. She gets straight A's in school, Math, English, and is the 2nd best reader of words per minute in her class. Is very active, and is very skinny. I think it has more to do with how much time parents spend with their children!!!!!!!! Doing homework, engaging in outdoor activities etc.... I think the study should be done on how many of these children that have tv's in their rooms, have parents that spend more than ten minutes a week with their children. Studies show that most parents spend less than 7 minutes a week with their children. Yes less than 7 minutes. Life seems to become too busy for our children. If you do study this factor, feel free to contact me. Bye the way I am taking off work early today to go watch a movie with my Daughter, since it was a short day of school for her.Good Luck! Signed a good Father!

  • 58 Posted by patrickgleason@prodigy.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    "Of those surveyed, 42 percent who smoked had a TV in their bedroom." This is poor journalism. If 42 percent did have a TV in their room, 58 did not, suggesting that having a TV in one's room actually prevents smoking. I do not disagree with the article, but if statistics are going to be used, please be sure they support the topic.

  • 59 Posted by luke5149@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:00PM EDT Report Abuse

    wtf!this can't be true!My bro is a grad student and he is fine!he whatches t.v all day!same with me!!!!!! :(

  • 61 Posted by alphonse_w_proto@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    this is so dumb its a bunch of crap i have a tv in my room and i still manage to get straight As. I stay up to about 11 12 at night on a school day watching tv and still manage to get up and have a productive day. Then i watch tv for 2 or 3 hrs and i only weigh 225 with 11% body fat tv dont affect anything you just mentioned

  • 62 Posted by holycharizard@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    If the TEACHERS would get off of their lazy hind-ends, then kids would score much, much higher on the Standardized Tests...My child comes home every day and I ask if his teachers ever focus the teaching towards HOTS or problem solving skills...The worksheets just won't cut it, but when teachers teach from the desk, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT BESIDES LOW TEST SCORES and BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS? It is sad b/c the teachers are to blame for the kids having sex and smoking at such a young age as well. This is THEIR job to take care of, not the parents! ! ! And you all saying your kids are getting A's and are sooo smart reading so many words a minute? COME ON! Do you actually believe this? The teachers are GIVING the students A's just to keep the class quiet...They cannot control they class any other way b/c they don't want to get off of their feet...except to press play on the Bill Nye videos they are showing every other day...WAKE UP AMERICA....And LET'S START BLAMING TEACHERS, not TVs...Worksheets, word searches, cross words, and defintions are for the simple minded! Those simple minded folks are the TEACHERS! ! !

  • 63 Posted by esther2055@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    I find it most ridiculous that one would assume a TV in a bedroom had anything to do with making a child a smoker. There are no ads for cigarettes on TV anymore, and an underage child trying to sneak a smoke is less likely to do it in his room where parents will smell the smoke or see the dirty effects it will have on his walls and windows. This is just another stretch to alienate those people who choose to smoke. I'll bet those same children have a wash machine in their laundry room, but it doesn't make them do laundry. And to the one who said it was likely that they came from lower income homes, that is not necessarily so either. I see plenty of over-indulged wealthy children in our school system who have the funds from Mom and Dad to buy computers, TV's, cell phones, and yes, cigarettes if they choose. There is no link here.

  • 64 Posted by cyvolt@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    I believe that this is true only in some cases, that's if you're watching television and it is interfering with your sleeping or homework. For example, I'm 16 and have a T.v. in my room and I don't watch any T.v. past 9 p.m. ( I don't go to bed until 9:30 p.m.) I spend those thirty minutes reading a book to relax me or, I prepare for bed. I spend most of my time doing my homework else where like the dining table or at my desk. Where there are less distrations. Plus, I always turn off the T.v. when I need to do something else. One thing I do agree on is television can make you suffer academically. It depends on the enviornment you are surrounded what makes that person choose to watch some television instead of finishing homework or what makes the person distracted from their homework. Yet again people are all different and they choose what they want to do with their time and they may not spend it doing the right choice.

  • 65 Posted by roughneck4@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    How many of that 42% of kids who started smoking also had parents who smoke? That seems to me to be a much more likely connection. also, lets discuss limits on how long kids are watching television, and what they are watching, no matter where it's located.

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