Abstract Sleeping timely plays a key and complex role in maintaining health and optimal function. This review analyzed the relationship between late bedtime and children s growth and development and its physiological mechanism, and proposed some strategies. Staying up late was associated with brain structure / cortical function, cognitive ability, academic performance, behavioral problems, emotional regulation, obesity-related indicators and other health problems. The mechanism might include direct or indirect effects os staying up late on brain structure/cortical function (by circadian rhythm disorder and sleep loss) through the interference of light and external environmental signals, thus affecting the growth and development. Sleep education, establishment of sleep norms and training of self-control are effective strategies to promote sleep timely.