Children with regular sleep patterns 'smarter at school' according to a new survey recorded recently in Daily Telegraph. Sue Atkins, parenting expert and founder of www.positive-parents.co.uk is a big fan of raising happy children and shares some interesting findings with us.

Researchers found that children who had a regular bedtime performed better at languages, reading and maths than those who went to bed at different times.

Scientists at SRI International, an independent American research institute based in California, found the earlier a child went to bed, the better they performed at school.

The institute’s research, the largest of its kind, is due to be presented on Monday at a sleep conference hosted by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

"Getting parents to set bedtime routines can be an important way to make a significant impact on children's emergent literacy and language skills,” said Dr Erika Gaylor, an early childhood policy researcher who led the study.

"Paediatricians can easily promote regular bedtimes with parents and children, behaviours, which in turn lead to healthy sleep."

The researchers completed the developmental assessment on four year-old children.

It also included analysis taken from on information on bedtimes that were conducted with parent during phone interviews when their child was nine months old and again when their child was four.

The findings found that having a regular bedtime was the most consistent predictor of positive developmental outcomes.

Scores for receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, literacy and early math abilities were higher in children whose parents reported having rules about what time their child goes to bed.

Children who had an earlier bedtime also had a predictive of higher scores for most developmental measures.

Dr Gaylor said the data also disclosed that many children were not getting the recommended amount of sleep, which may have negative consequences for their development and school achievement.

She recommended parents set an appropriate time for their child to go to bed so they received sufficient levels of sleep.

Parents, she added, should also interact with their child at bedtime using routines such as reading books or telling stories.

A previous study, published in Sleep Medicine in August last year, also emphasised the importance of an early bedtime and consistent bedtime routine for children.

It reported that children with a bedtime after 9pm took longer to fall asleep and had a shorter total sleep time.

Children without a consistent bedtime routine also were reported to obtain less sleep.