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Sleep patterns and sleep disruptions in school-age children

A Sadeh1, A Raviv, R Gruber

  • 1Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel. sadeh@post.tau.ac.il

Developmental Psychology
|June 1, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Older children experience delayed sleep and more daytime sleepiness. Girls sleep longer and more still. Family stress impacts children's sleep-wake patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Chronobiology

Background:

  • Adequate sleep is crucial for school-age children's development and academic performance.
  • Understanding age-related and sex-specific sleep patterns in children is essential for identifying potential issues.
  • Factors such as family stress can influence children's sleep-wake cycles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate sleep patterns, disruptions, and sleepiness in school-age children.
  • To investigate age and sex differences in children's sleep.
  • To explore the relationship between objective sleep measures, subjective sleepiness, and family factors.

Main Methods:

  • 140 school-age children (2nd, 4th, 6th grade) wore activity monitors (actigraphs) to assess sleep patterns.
  • Children and parents completed sleep questionnaires and daily reports for subjective data.
  • Statistical analyses examined age, sex, sleep measures, and family-related variables.

Main Results:

  • Older children showed delayed sleep onset and increased daytime sleepiness.
  • Girls exhibited longer sleep duration and a higher percentage of motionless sleep.
  • 18% of children experienced fragmented sleep; objective and subjective sleepiness scores correlated. Family stress, parental age, and education were linked to sleep-wake measures.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep patterns significantly change with age in school-age children, with older children experiencing more sleep difficulties.
  • Girls and boys exhibit distinct sleep characteristics, highlighting potential sex-based differences in sleep needs or regulation.
  • Objective sleep data aligns with subjective reports, and family environment plays a role in children's sleep health.

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