Look at all the research on kids and sleep, and two things become clear quickly:

1) Kids don’t need as much as most of us think they do, and
2) They’re still not getting enough anyway.

One new study looked at 37 sleep guidelines for kids issued since 1897 along with more than 200 studies on how much nightly sleep kids have actually gotten during that time and found a few surprises.

The number of recommended hours of sleep has decreased over the years, and no matter what those hours are or how much they’ve decreased, kids always manage to get an average of 37 minutes less.

Anyone who’s ever sent a kid to bed at 8:00 in hopes he or she might actually arrive there by 8:30 (or even 8:37) knows how that is.

And even a century ago, people blamed technology for all those sleep-avoiding kids, according to the study published in the journal Pediatrics.

Once upon a time, it was that newfangled lightbulb. Today, it’s all the digital entertainment options kids have literally at their fingertips: videogames, text messages, music downloads and probably a few things we adults don’t even know about.

It’s bad news for many kids because too little sleep has been linked to any number of physical and mental issues in people of all ages — and in kids in particular, poor sleep has been connected to everything from obesity to low test scores.

But surprisingly, the sleep guidelines that have been issued over the years have been based on little to no actual science.

And while no one’s saying kids should be allowed to play videogames until dawn, a new look at data on 1,724 primary and secondary school students across the country finds that kids between 16 and 18 years old actually do better on less sleep.

Federal guidelines call for nine hours a night, but researchers found the kids with the highest test scores actually got around seven.

Younger kids, on the other hand, needed a little more: Between nine and 9.5 hours a night for 10-year-olds and between eight and 8.5 hours a night when they reach the age of 12, according to the study in Eastern Economics Journal.

Of course, research is one thing — but people are different. Some need more, some need less. If the child or grandchild in your life is tired all the time, they’re obviously not getting what they need.

And if they’re not studying when they’re awake, then even perfect sleep habits won’t boost the grades.

No one likes seeing a little kid fall or get hurt — especially when it’s your own child.

I’m sure many parents would bubble wrap their little ones before sending them out if they could, and some practically do these days.

But they don’t really need that protection — because playgrounds have gotten so safe and dull that kids no longer have a chance to engage in the types of mildly risky play that’s such an important part of development.

And a recent report in the New York Times shows how children who never get a chance to run those risks could grow up to be anxious adults.

One researcher who spent time watching kids play in three countries even divided the risks of play into categories: heights, speed, dangerous tools, dangerous elements like water, rough play, and wandering off alone.

Dr. Ellen Sandseter, a professor of psychology at Queen Maud University in Norway, told the Times that children experience each of those dangers in small-but-increasing doses — like a kid who will climb a little higher each time he attempts the jungle gym.

It’s a way of getting over fears and learning independence — and it’s actually similar to steps shrinks use to help adults overcome many fears.

Even an injury won’t stop that process: One study, for example, found that kids hurt in a fall before the age of 9 are actually less likely to be afraid of heights later on than kids who never fall.

But today’s playgrounds don’t have many heights to fall from — my guess is that in addition to angry parents and screaming kids, parks departments are afraid of lawsuits.

It might be too late to turn back the clock on playgrounds — the liability issues alone mean we’ll never see any with the risks of yesteryear.

But it’s not too late to let your children and grandchildren take their own risks within reason — so don’t be afraid to peel back the bubble wrap every now and then.

And don’t be afraid of the usual falls, slips, trips, bumps, bruises and even the occasional broken bone — because getting hurt from time to time is actually good for them.

Most children already have boundless energy.

But today’s kids are different from those of previous generations, for several reasons.

First, many of them have already been placed on what I call the high-carb Torture Chamber Diet, robbing them of some of that natural energy.

Secondly, many of them are already hooked on caffeine. And recent studies show us that this is one substance they shouldn’t be near at that age.

One study found that kids who have too much caffeine are staying up well into the night, when their growing bodies should be at rest.

Most kids need at least nine hours of sleep per night, but too many of them aren’t getting that. Instead, the study found that they’re sending text messages, playing video games and surfing the Internet.

The study, published in the June 2009 issue of Pediatrics, found these kids – even those who consume caffeinated beverages – are also more likely to nod off during the day.

The researchers looked at 100 children 12-18 years old, and found that a third of them dozed off in school an average of twice a day, while some conked out up to eight times a day. Half of the kids with driver’s licenses said they felt drowsy behind the wheel.

Meanwhile, another study shows what can happen to kids who get too much caffeine.

Researchers in Italy looked at the case of a 13-year-old boy who was admitted to a hospital after chewing two packs of a caffeinated gum. The total caffeine in the gum wasn’t too much by adult standards: roughly equal to three cups of coffee.

But the boy – who had no illicit drugs in his system, by the way – grew agitated and aggressive, which was not normal for him. His heartbeat and breathing rapidly increased, and his blood pressure rose.

The case study, published in the May 30 issue of The Lancet, shows what can happen when someone with no caffeine tolerance – like a child – consumes the stuff.

I’ve got nothing against a couple cups of coffee or tea for most adults.

But kids shouldn’t be near this stuff, especially since they tend to get their caffeine from sugar-laden sodas and energy drinks.

This is the beginning of a lifetime of unhealthy habits and poor sleeping patterns.

I know it’s not easy to control what your teen eats and drinks, but it’s important to know how these things might be impacting their body.

Banning soda and energy drinks might not be the most popular move in your home – but it’s the right one.

One of the biggest challenges of raising children is getting them to eat right.

But it’s also one of the most important roles we play as parents, because the foods we give them now will establish dietary habits that they’ll follow the rest of their lives.

Think about that next time you consider skipping a real meal for a quick stop at the Golden Arches.

I know it’s easier said than done. Many parents say their kids simply won’t touch healthy foods even when they’re right in front of them. I’ve had a few of those moments myself.

But a new study shows that children are more open to healthy foods than we think. And some parents, it seems, make too many assumptions about what their kids will and won’t eat.

The study, sponsored by the American Society for Nutrition, followed children ages 5-12 at an Arkansas summer camp. These kids, and their parents, all said beforehand that they weren’t very likely to eat healthy foods.

But then, more than half of them tried nearly all of the 16 different fruits and vegetables given to them at camp in place of their normal junk-food snacks. Many of the kids had never even seen some of these vegetables before, but let’s give them some credit – they tried them just the same.

Now, I’m sure the environment played a role in these kids’ choices, and the study didn’t really touch on that. Children might be more inclined to try something new when they see other kids doing it. They might also be more willing to eat these fruits and veggies because, at camp, they know they can’t just raid the fridge after the meal.

But I’m still encouraged by the results. The bottom line is kids can and will eat healthy food if we give it to them.

In some cases, youngsters just don’t have access to good food. One study found that families in impoverished areas tend to shop in convenience stores, which have no produce sections, rather than supermarkets.

But there’s a lot more at stake than shopping habits. Establish good eating now, and kids can avoid what I call the high-carb Torture Chamber Diet so many of us fall victim to here in the United States.

I can think of one other reason to give your children more fruit and veggies. We tend to eat whatever we make for the kids.

So if they’re eating better, you will too.