Mirage News
Mirage NewsEducation23 Sep 2026 1:12 pm AESTDate Time
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Different types of digital devices affect kids’ sleep – and Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute: Sleep Health is looking for participants to join in a study which will test the effectiveness of a new type of illuminated screen
Chief Investigator Professor Sean Cain is conducting the SPARK Study (which stands for Screens, Physiology, Rest, Kids) with co-investigators Dr Malisa Burge and Dr Alicia Lander – and they are recruiting Adelaide families with a child aged 8-10 years to be involved
“We know that screens before bed can affect children’s sleep, but not all screens are the same,” says Dr Burge
“Light emitted by these devices can interfere with the body’s internal clock and suppress melatonin: the hormone that signals that it’s night time and, in humans, prepares us for sleep
“But digital devices don’t all produce the same kind of light, so we want to measure how different devices affect melatonin production.”
The SPARK Study is comparing a standard tablet with a Daylight Computer, which uses display technology designed to emit less of the light wavelengths known to affect the body clock
A three-week program will require a child to use a tablet or special computer before going to bed for three evenings at home each week. They will alternate between Dim Light Nights (sitting in a dim-lit room without screens, to measure their body’s usual melatonin level), using an iPad for one hour before bed one night, then using a Daylight Computer the following night
To measure the melatonin levels, each child will need to spit into a small tube 4 times during each evening, and parents help take another sample after the child falls asleep
Across the three-week study, the child will also wear a watch and have a sleep mat beneath their mattress to measure their sleep. Parents will help them answer some questions about how the child is feeling and, the next morning, assess how they slept
Before the study begins, a researcher will visit each family’s home to explain the process, answer any questions, and demonstrate how to use all the gadgets
This study has been approved by the Flinders University HREC: #9656. It is funded by the Daylight Computer Company, but has no involvement in the conduct or analysis of the study
Families that participate in the SPARK study receive up to $150
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