Set Your WiFi to Automatically Shut Off So Your Kids Will Go to Sleep
Kids are not getting enough sleep. Cutting their access to the internet at night can help.
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Digital media use—mobile phone, computer, internet, and social media—at nighttime or near bedtime is associated with shorter sleep duration and poorer sleep quality, and it can be especially damaging for minors. For example, a sleep study conducted by the CDC in 2021 found that a third of children from 4 months to 17 years of age don’t get the recommended amount of sleep each night. Medical experts often link these sleep deficiencies to poor diet, obesity, poor mental health, and poor cognitive development.
A recent review of 42 studies on digital media use and young people mostly attributes the effects to overstimulation and hyperarousal from extensive social media use, gaming, and texting. The blue light emanating from these devices’ screens also have a physiological impact on the body’s natural sleep systems.
How Much Sleep Kids Need
In addition to helping your children adopt a calming routine at night, restricting their access to video games, TikTok, and YouTube at least 1 to 2 hours before bedtime can help.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that preschoolers get between 10 and 13 hours of sleep, school-age children need between 9 and 11 hours, and teenagers need 8 to 10 hours. However, CDC research shows that 73 percent of teens aren’t getting enough sleep.
The good news is that a 2022 study of 711 adolescents suggests that parent-set technology rules play a big part in protecting the kids’ sleep and are associated with earlier bedtimes and longer sleep durations. Parents can limit use of devices by removing them from the bedroom overnight (a Sleep in America Poll found that 89 percent of teens have at least one device in their bedroom at night), limiting the activities available to use on mobile devices, and restricting access to the internet in the evening. We’ll walk you through how to do that last one.
To see all of CR’s sleep coverage, go to our Guide to Better Sleep.
How to Set Up Auto WiFi Shut-Off
The exact steps for setting a schedule to turn off the WiFi connection may vary depending on your router’s make and model. You should consult your router’s manual to learn about its exact capabilities and how to access these features, but here’s a general guide that should apply to most modern routers.
- Find your router’s IP address. If you look on the back panel of your router, you’ll find a sticker with the router’s login information.
- Access your router’s admin controls. Enter the router’s IP address in a web browser and log in using the information on the router. (If you’ve previously changed it, enter your username and password.) Look for a "Time Scheduling" or "Parental Controls" section.
- Set up a WiFi schedule. Select the device(s) you want to limit. Depending on the router, you can set up all devices in your home to follow one schedule or set a different schedule for each device so some would be free to have normal WiFi access. Select the desired start and end times for the schedule, and choose the days of the week when you want the WiFi to be turned off.
- Save your changes. Sleep better knowing that your children will, too.
Best WiFi Routers
Ready for an upgrade? Consider these top routers from CR’s tests.
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