How do I get my child to stop playing video games all night?

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to prevent your son from staying up all night playing video games.

1. Understand what gaming does to him.
2. Build rapport with him around gaming.
3. Understand his motivations.
4. Manage expectations.
5. Set fair and effective boundaries.
6. Enforce those boundaries.

What happens if you play video games before bed?

Together, these studies seem to demonstrate that gaming before bed–especially excessive gaming–can moderately decrease sleep quality by lengthening the time it takes to fall asleep, decreasing time spent asleep, and reducing the amount of deep-stage sleep.

How do video games affect a child’s brain?

The researchers found that video games and apps that were interactive and educational had a positive effect on children’s brain development. Another study focused on characters in educational games showed that creating a strong bond with an in-game character can improve the child’s learning.

Is it bad to play video games all night?

A study by Flinders University, Australia found that playing video games for too long before bed can have adverse effects on your nightly sleep. As reported by Medical Xpress, the study tested 17 teenage boys who played violent video games for 50 – 150 minutes before going to sleep over the course of two nights.

How does video games affect mental health?

Video games can act as distractions from pain and psychological trauma. Video games can also help people who are dealing with mental disorders like anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

How many hours on a game is too much?

While there isn’t a consensus on how many hours of video games (and general screen time) is too much, the finding by Twenge and her colleagues that more than five hours per day is excessive seems reasonable.