Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Children
09:45

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Children

Published on: April 29, 2013

Normative heart rate parameters during sleep for children aged 6 to 11 years

Kristen Hedger Archbold1, Nathan L Johnson, James L Goodwin

  • 1Practice Division, University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, AZ 85721-0203, USA. karchbold@nursing.arizona.edu

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
|March 3, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric sleeping heart rates decrease with age in children aged 6-11. Female sex, African American ethnicity, and obesity are linked to faster sleep heart rates in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Biostatistics

Background:

  • Normative values for pediatric heart rates during sleep are not well-established.
  • Understanding these values is crucial for assessing cardiovascular health in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish normative sleeping heart rate values for children.
  • To investigate the influence of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and ethnicity on pediatric sleeping heart rates.

Main Methods:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG) data were collected from healthy children in two large sleep study cohorts (TuCASA and CCSHS).
  • Data were analyzed using analysis of variance models to compare sleeping heart rates, controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and BMI.
  • Student t tests were employed for group comparisons within cohorts.

Main Results:

  • Younger children exhibited significantly faster sleeping heart rates than older children.
  • Girls had significantly faster sleeping heart rates compared to boys in both cohorts.
  • Obese children (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) demonstrated significantly faster sleeping heart rates than non-obese children.
  • African Americans showed faster sleeping heart rates than Caucasians in the CCSHS cohort, while no significant difference was observed between Hispanics and Caucasians in the TuCASA cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Sleeping heart rates in children aged 6 to 11 years significantly decrease with increasing age.
  • Factors associated with faster sleeping heart rates include African American ethnicity, female sex, and obesity.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges08:22

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges

Published on: February 25, 2016

Multi-Modal Home Sleep Monitoring in Older Adults07:40

Multi-Modal Home Sleep Monitoring in Older Adults

Published on: January 26, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Special considerations while measuring oxygen saturation01:19

Special considerations while measuring oxygen saturation

Assessing respiratory rate concurrently with pulse measurement is fundamental to patient care, providing valuable insights into the patient's respiratory function. The normal breathing rate for an adult usually falls within a normal range of 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Abnormal respiratory rates can signal underlying health conditions or the need for immediate intervention.
Ensuring accuracy in vital sign recordings while prioritizing patient comfort and minimizing anxiety is important. 
Factors Influencing Heart Rate01:30

Factors Influencing Heart Rate

The heart rate, or pulse rate, is a vital indicator of cardiovascular health. It reflects the number of times the heart beats per minute. Various physiological and environmental factors influence heart rate, increasing or decreasing cardiac output. Understanding these factors is crucial for assessing heart function and identifying potential health issues.
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
Respiratory Volumes and Capacities I01:26

Respiratory Volumes and Capacities I

Assessing the respiratory rate and rhythm for a complete minute is crucial for evaluating the breathing pattern. Even a minor increase in the patient's average respiratory rate, by as little as three to five breaths per minute, is an early and vital indicator of respiratory distress. Patients with a respiratory rate exceeding twenty-four breaths per minute require close monitoring to determine the physiological alterations. This careful observation is essential for prompt recognition and...
Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate01:20

Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate

Assessment of Ventilation
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation:
Regulation of Heart Rates01:31

Regulation of Heart Rates

The regulation of heart rate is a complex process controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), hormonal influences, and intrinsic cardiac mechanisms. The ANS has two main components: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
The SNS increases heart rate through the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, which act on beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This action increases the rate of depolarization in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's...