Screen time and sleep patterns: A medical analysis of parental control effectiveness in digital wellness for children

The growing use of digital devices among children has raised concerns about its effects on sleep and health. This study investigates how screen time influences sleep patterns and how parental controls can promote healthier digital habits. Using the Sleep and Screen Time Behavior Dataset for Children (SSTBDC- 2023), which includes data from 1,200 children aged 6-14, the research examines screen usage, sleep onset latency, sleep duration, and parental controls like time limits and content filters. A hybrid machine learning model combining Random Forest and Multivariate Logistic Regression was used to assess the impact. Findings showed a 27.8% increase in sleep latency and a 19.4% drop in sleep duration among children with no screen time limits. In contrast, those with structured controls experienced better sleep outcomes. The model achieved 92.3% accuracy, with 89.6% precision and 91.1% recall in detecting high- risk sleep disruptions. Results emphasize the importance of effective parental controls in reducing the negative effects of screen exposure.