Experts recently suggested that teens should start adopting early bedtimes. Before you dismiss it as a habit suited only for young kids, consider that there are serious advantages in being well-rested. And now, even more research suggests that putting phones away before going to sleep is important to teens' well-being. A new study from Seton Hall University School of Health and Medicine Science found that 62 percent of kids used their smart phones before bed, and it's causing less sleep and poor performance in school. Those teens who text  before bedtime tend to go to sleep later, and get up later in the morning. Such behavior can be associated with mental health issues like depression or anxiety. Besides, once teens do receive a text, experts found, they tend to respond right away. Then the text conversation continues -- resulting in an even later bedtime. The study's co-author Dr. Peter Polos says this leads to excessive stimulation  at night. Light from electronic devices can block the secretion  of melatonin -- a hormone  that promotes sleep, which makes sleep difficult in the face of overuse of smart phones at night. It's true! More screen time means less sleep time; other studies have suggested the same idea. As for a final piece of advice, Dr. Sushanth Bhat says, since getting the proper amount of sleep is very important for brain development and learning in the teenage years, our study should encourage parents and guardians   to limit adolescent smart phone usage at night. Keep in mind that teens aren't the only ones addicted to their phones! Adults can also benefit from setting a tech curfew  for themselves. After all, kids learn by example! Melatonin can   _  .
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