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Influence of ambient temperature on sleep characteristics and autonomic nervous control in healthy infants

P Franco1, H Szliwowski, M Dramaix

  • 1Pediatric Sleep Unit, Erasmus Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. Patricia.Franco@skynet.be

Sleep
|May 16, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Elevated ambient temperatures significantly impact infant sleep, increasing central apneas and decreasing oxygen saturation, especially during REM sleep. These changes affect heart rate and autonomic control in healthy infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Infant Cardiorespiratory Physiology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Infant sleep and cardiorespiratory regulation are sensitive to environmental factors.
  • Understanding the impact of ambient temperature is crucial for infant well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how ambient temperature influences sleep and cardiorespiratory parameters in healthy infants.
  • To assess the relationship between ambient temperature and physiological responses during infant sleep.

Main Methods:

  • Polygraphic recordings were conducted on 20 healthy infants (7-18 weeks old) over one night.
  • Infants were exposed to three ambient temperatures: 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C.
  • Core and ambient temperatures were continuously monitored throughout the sleep study.

Main Results:

  • Increased ambient temperatures led to a higher frequency of central apneas during REM sleep.
  • Heart rate increased, RR intervals shortened, and parasympathetic activity decreased with rising temperatures in both REM and NREM sleep.
  • Oxygen saturation decreased during total sleep time, with more frequent drops associated with central apneas during REM sleep.

Conclusions:

  • Ambient temperature significantly affects infant cardiorespiratory parameters and autonomic control, particularly during REM sleep.
  • Even mild increases in body temperature due to ambient temperature changes can modify these physiological measures.
  • Findings highlight the importance of maintaining optimal ambient temperatures for healthy infant sleep and physiological stability.
Abstract

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