Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned bedtime story? Not an iPad app or a TV show before bed. But a real story, read in bed to a child by a parent.

Seems that bedtime routines help kids sleep better, say researchers at Penn State in this NIH-funded study. They say well-established rules such as a regular bedtime and no caffeine drinks led to children getting adequate sleep for their age. In contrast, when parents and kids had electronic devices in the bedroom after bedtime, lack of sleep was more likely.

Poor sleep could lead to behavioral problems, impaired learning and school performance, sports injuries, mood issues, and health problems such as obesity.