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Day length associates with activity level in children living at 60 degrees north
Eeva T Aronen1, Mika Fjällberg, E Juulia Paavonen
1Department of Child Psychiatry, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Finland. eeva.aronen@helsinki.fi
Insights
Longer day length increases activity levels and alters rest-activity rhythms in children. This study links day length to seasonal changes in children's daily activity patterns.
Area of Science:
- Chronobiology
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Seasonal variations in environmental factors like day length can influence biological rhythms.
- Understanding these influences is crucial for pediatric health and well-being.
- Rest-activity patterns are fundamental to healthy development in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between day length and children's activity levels.
- To examine the impact of day length on rest-activity rhythms.
- To explore potential links between these patterns and psychiatric symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized actigraphy to objectively measure activity levels in 66 healthy children over 72-hour periods.
- Collected data throughout a one-year study period to capture seasonal variations.
- Administered Child Behavior Checklists to parents for behavioral assessments.
Main Results:
- Found a significant association between longer day length and increased total, daytime, and nighttime activity levels.
- Observed a blunted relative circadian amplitude with longer day length, indicating altered rhythmicity.
- Activity levels and rest-activity patterns demonstrated a clear association with day length.
Conclusions:
- Day length is a significant environmental factor associated with children's activity levels and rest-activity rhythms.
- These associations suggest that seasonal changes in day length may influence children's daily activity patterns.
- Further research can explore the implications for pediatric mental health and seasonal affective disorders.
Abstract:
The associations between day length and activity, rest-activity rhythm, and psychiatric symptoms were studied. Sixty-six healthy children participated in the study during one year. They were monitored for 72 consecutive hours with belt-worn activity monitors (actigraphs) to obtain objective data on their activity levels during the day and night. In addition, the parents filled out the Child Behavior Checklists. It was found, that the mean total and day and night time activity levels were increased and the relative circadian amplitude blunted with the longer day length. It was concluded that day length was associated with activity level and rest-activity rhythm and this association may reflect the seasonal changes in these parameters.